Spec Sess Day 30: Gregoire does shuttle diplomacy
OLYMPIA -- The red blur moving through the hall between the House and Senate chambers a few minutes ago was Gov. Chris Gregoire, shuttling between Speaker Frank Chopp's office and Majority Leader Lisa Brown's with a list of bills in hand.
Bills that apparently legislative leaders and she agreed need to be passed before the Legislature adjourns. Bills that at 3 p.m. had not yet been passed..
She said the Legislature should be able to avoid amending the general operating budget, saving another vote in the House. The problem with the amount of money in the Life Sciences Fund can be handled without an amendment.
So what was she worried about? "Are they going to get out of here," she said, looking down at a folded sheet of paper that contained a list of bills and power walking past OFM Director Marty Brown and several senators and into Brown's office.