Legislature update

Senator Wyatt Agar reported Tuesday morning that he was busy working on the second reading of the budget bill on the floor.

Agar noted both chambers did first reading of the mirror budget bill yesterday in which no amendments are allowed, but in this second reading is when changes can be seen within the chamber.

“I have spent the morning looking at what the Senate body wants to do with the budget,” Agar stated. “In our body you will see the budget return to the basic Governor’s recommendations, and much of the added expenditures added in committee work will be removed. I will have more specifics as the bill is worked.”

Agar also noted the failure of House Bill 146 dealing with publication requirements for counties cities and towns. More specifically, the bill addressed publication of minutes and employee salaries, and allowed for posting of such items on county websites.

A similar bill, House Bill 242, also relates to publication of legal notices and would create a statewide official notices website. Further, the bill would require publication of legal notices on this site rather than in a newspaper.

Agar stated this bill “has been placed in Corporation Committee but has not been heard; keep in mind it runs out of time in a few days. I suspect it may not be heard.”