Republicans fret they'll be left out of critical stage of budget talks
Negotiations on a new state budget got a step more serious Thursday. And, Republicans argue, more secretive.
The state Senate voted to request that the two chambers form a conference committee for the operating budget.
If the House agrees, and it will in the next few days, six lawmakers – four Democrats and two Republicans – will be charged with reconciling differences in spending plans approved in each chamber. The chief budget writers for each caucus will serve on the panel.
Here's the rub for the GOP.
They know employing a conference committee at this stage is pretty much standard operating procedure. They did it when they were in the majority.
They also understand it isn't like other committees. It won't meet in public until there is a final version of the budget ready to be voted on. And whatever the committee delivers cannot be amended.
Republicans are unlikely to be invited to many meetings. Maybe none. Democrats will huddle behind closed doors with their leadership and strike deals. They can involve Republicans at any and every step if they want, but more likely they will brief them when they feel it is necessary.
'You're going to have basically four legislators in a room likely making very dramatic changes to the operating budget, changes none of us will ever have a chance to amend,' Sen. Chris Gildon, R-Puyallup, said on the Senate floor. Gildon is the lead Republican budget writer and will be a committee member.
'It is closed to the public. It is not transparent,' he said, adding 'it will further erode trust in state government.'
Sen. June Robinson, D-Everett, chair of the Senate Ways and Means Committee and the Democrats' lead budget writer, disagreed with the characterization.
'The conference report process is something the Legislature does every year for the budget and other bills,' she said in a statement.
'I have worked closely with my Republican counterparts throughout the budget process and am open to discussions with them at any point going forward,' Robinson added. 'All of that is taken into consideration in negotiations.'
The Senate motion to form a conference committee passed on a party-line 30-19 margin.
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