After two months of political wrangling in special session, lawmakers thought they had found a budget solution everyone would be happy with. The governor watched as senators passed the $215-million spending plan. Then she vetoed much of it, except funding for critical health services.

The governor will announce next week when she will call legislators back into a second special session to bridge a $110 million budget gap after she vetoed much of the budget plan they presented.

Three seats in the state legislature will be decided Tuesday and the state could be looking at $200,000 total in special election costs this year.

The state is $215 million in the hole, but continues to spend $30 million a year on so-called swag like tee shirts and stress balls.  

A state legislator is out, hopes for teacher raises are dying and a breakdown in communication over the state’s $900-million budget shortfall all are highlighted in this legislative week in review.