Barbour would hold the cards in new session

Barbour would hold the cards in new session

Gov. Haley Barbour is poised to grab more control over the budget-writing process as top lawmakers warn they’re likely to end the on-again, off-again regular session without agreeing on a state spending plan.

The three-month session will end Wednesday unless two-thirds of legislators vote to extend it. The new budget year begins July 1.

Longtime Mississippi lawmakers say it’s rare to end a regular session without approving a budget.

It happened in 2005, and lawmakers finished the budget that year in a special session that wrapped up by late May.

AP
6/2/1