05/01/2001 12:15 PM Senate RLS

          SJR 24-AMEND CONSTITUTIONAL BUDGET RESERVE FUND                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  COWDERY moved  to adopt CSSJR  24(RLS),  Version L,  as the                                                            
working document  of the committee.   There being no objection,  the                                                            
motion carried.                                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR  DAVE DONLEY,  Co-Chair  of  the Senate  Finance  Committee,                                                            
sponsor  of SJR  24, explained  the  intent of  this constitutional                                                             
amendment is  to restore the original  intent of the constitutional                                                             
budget  reserve  (CBR)  as  adopted.   The  original  draft  of  the                                                            
legislation  contained a provision  for an  automatic draw  from the                                                            
CBR for  the amount  of money in  the budget that  was less  than or                                                            
equal to the prior year's  appropriation.  That was not requested by                                                            
the Senate Finance Committee.   The Committee debated that provision                                                            
and worked  with the Legislative  Finance Division.   All agreed  it                                                            
would be  better to  have a separate  simple majority  vote  for the                                                            
withdrawal  of CBR  funds.   That  is the  only change  made to  the                                                            
Senate Rules Committee substitute.                                                                                              
                                                                                                                                
CHAIRWOMAN  PEARCE asked if there  would be a separate section  that                                                            
would trigger another CBR vote.                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR DONLEY  answered there would probably be a  separate section                                                            
in the budget  that would require a separate vote  to withdraw money                                                            
from the CBR.                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                
There  being no  further  questions  or testimony,  SENATOR  COWDERY                                                            
moved to calendar all Senate versions of SJR 24.                                                                                
                                                                                                                                
SENATOR ELLIS objected.                                                                                                         
                                                                                                                                
The motion  to calendar all Senate  versions of SJR 24 carried  with                                                            
Senators Cowdery, Phillips,  Therriault and Pearce voting "yea," and                                                            
Senator Ellis voting "nay."