New Hampshire's Virtual Town Hall
No legislative agreement on constitutional amendment
Efforts to address the school funding issue by constitutional amendment have failed for this 2011 legislative session.
The House and Senate could not come to terms on CACR 14.
The House on Wednesday (June 1, 2011) tabled the Senate's proposed amendment that would have given the Legislature the power to define educational standards, determine the amount of state funding and mitigate disparities among communities.
The Senate was ready to similarly delay action on the House-passed version.
"It is clear that the House is divided on the language," House Republican Leader D.J. Bettencourt of Salem said in an Associated Press story. "This language is neither pleasing to the House nor the governor. Negotiations continue between the House and the Senate and the governor to try to find language we can all agree with, but this will not be the vehicle."
The issue will be held over for study over the summer.
According to the AP story, constitutional amendments need approval by 60 percent of the House and Senate to be placed on the ballot, and approval by two-thirds of voters to take effect. One sticking point has been whether any plan without a guarantee of per-pupil funding could pass. And while Democratic Gov. John Lynch supports changing the constitution so state aid can be targeted to needier communities, he also wants to maintain the state's responsibility for education.
The House and Senate could not come to terms on CACR 14.
The House on Wednesday (June 1, 2011) tabled the Senate's proposed amendment that would have given the Legislature the power to define educational standards, determine the amount of state funding and mitigate disparities among communities.
The Senate was ready to similarly delay action on the House-passed version.
"It is clear that the House is divided on the language," House Republican Leader D.J. Bettencourt of Salem said in an Associated Press story. "This language is neither pleasing to the House nor the governor. Negotiations continue between the House and the Senate and the governor to try to find language we can all agree with, but this will not be the vehicle."
The issue will be held over for study over the summer.
According to the AP story, constitutional amendments need approval by 60 percent of the House and Senate to be placed on the ballot, and approval by two-thirds of voters to take effect. One sticking point has been whether any plan without a guarantee of per-pupil funding could pass. And while Democratic Gov. John Lynch supports changing the constitution so state aid can be targeted to needier communities, he also wants to maintain the state's responsibility for education.
Tags: school funding
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