The House Finance Committee passed its $13.8 billion budget proposals, HB 1 and HB 2, advancing them toward a full House vote. NH Journal reports House Majority Leader Jason Osborne praised the plan as built on conservative, realistic revenue estimates and containing tax cuts Republicans had campaigned on.
On Wednesday, the House Finance Committee passed HB 1 and HB 2, their $13.8 billion budget proposals, setting up an internal party fight between House Republicans and GOP Gov. Chris Sununu.
NH Journal
NH Journal lays out the next steps in the process.
The House will vote on their version of the budget during a three-day marathon House session next week at the Sportsplex in Bedford, but the state Senate will get its say, too. A final budget will then be hammered out in June during the Committee of Conference sessions.
NH Journal
Osborne praised the committee’s product in his own words.
House Finance passed a budget that is based on conservative, realistic revenue estimates and contains many aspects that Republicans campaigned on and can be proud to vote for. This budget contains a treasure trove of tax cuts for NH businesses and taxpayers on a scale we haven’t seen in recent history.
House Majority Leader Jason Osborne
The report notes the libertarian wing’s frustrations with the governor.
The libertarian wing of the party has expressed frustrations with Sununu’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic. They urged him to re-open the state’s economy more quickly, and they complain about his continued extension of the statewide mask mandate. Part of their budget includes legislation that would put limits on the governor’s emergency power.
NH Journal
Sununu pushed back hard, according to NH Journal.
They passed a budget that is not fiscally balanced and packed with non-budgetary items that have no place in HB2. Nevertheless, we trust the Senate will do the right thing and pass a final budget that is fiscally sound while delivering tax cuts for the people of NH.
NH Journal
The committee vote moved the budget toward the full House and an eventual conference with the Senate, setting up an internal Republican negotiation over the final package.
Osborne praised the plan’s revenue assumptions and tax provisions, while Sununu objected to elements he said did not belong in the budget, NH Journal reports. The full House was set to take up the plan the following week at the Sportsplex in Bedford.
The disagreement underscored the gap between House Republicans and the governor heading into the next stage of the process.
The committee’s work set up a negotiation between the House and the governor over the final package.
Osborne praised the plan’s revenue estimates and tax cuts.
Sununu objected to elements he said did not belong in the budget.
The libertarian wing pressed its concerns over the governor’s emergency powers.
The full House was set to take up the plan the following week in Bedford.
The Senate would then have its say before a conference committee.
The disagreement underscored the gap between House Republicans and the governor, NH Journal reports.
The committee vote moved the budget toward a full House debate.
Osborne praised the plan while Sununu pushed back.
Read the full story at NH Journal.
