Senate Passes New Hires
by Bernie Huebner
The Senate passed Sen. Murray's new
hires amendment by 27 to 5 with 3 absentees on 4/11/2000. Of the 5 in opposition to the
new hires, 3 opposed it because they wanted full repeal (Treat, Rand and
Goldthwait). So it was really 30 to 2.
The House was still tending to other business at 10 pm when the Speaker
called "Supplement 13" to be taken up. He then called a recess to allow each party to caucus on the
bill. I attended the Democratic caucus at which Rep.
Brennan tried to center discussion around the current law.
At 10:15 the Speaker asked how many Democrats wanted to
speak on the floor debate: 19. He went and asked the Republican caucus:
20. At that point he tabled the debate until tomorrow (Wednesday).
I asked him when it would be taken up; he said "sometime tomorrow." So
it may be the first order of business or last. Can't help you there. I'll
run down after school. It looks like it's going
to be a long hot debate.
There is still passion for repeal among
individuals, but it doesn't look like it could possibly fly, and certainly
not at 2/3rds to beat King's veto, as the Senate has already done.
Read your papers; get
Aimee Curl's major piece in the Maine Times Thursday. By the way,
virtually no press except Aimee seemed left at the end when the Speaker
tabled the bedate. What does that mean?