Legislature set to end regular session today - special session ahead

The Legislature is set to end their regular session today two days early. They don’t have time to reach agreement on the budget and the dozens of bills necessary to implement the budget. And legislators want to be with their families on Easter.

A special session will be called so they can finish business. The governor may announce today when it would start. It might start right away on Monday. Or it may start several weeks down the line so legislative leaders can work behind the scenes to iron out differences so they can get a special session over with quickly.

So we take a little pause, but only a little pause. We still have much to fight for to save vital services and jobs.

KEEP UP THE ACTIVISM

Today’s Furlough Day Lobby Day is the last one of this regular session, but we’ll need a constant presence once the special session starts.

Watch your e-mail, our Action Center at http://takeaction.wfse.org (combined list of calls to action), or call the Federation Hotline at 1-800-562-6102 for updates as we head into special session.

In the meantime, two important calls to action to add to the ones particular to your area:

CONTRACTS:

Call your legislators at 1-800-562-6000. Tell them to stop scapegoating public servants and support the state employee contracts in the budget bill, HB 1087, as it passed the House.

• Tell them the Senate budget’s furlough plan is illegal. 

• Tell them it’s time to stop the irresponsible rhetoric against public servants, who’ve already sacrificed to save services.