State Senator Bill Hamrick in the Senate plenum, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2009. (Photo: Dave Bender)
The $2.2 billion dollar budget shortfall is pushing a lot of controversial issues to the sidelines.
Lawmakers say things are different this year than any other year. The Republican controlled legislature has never faced such drastic cuts to balance a state budget.
Almost nonexistent are controversial bills on immigration and gun control. State Senator Bill Hamrick sits on the Senate Appropriations Committee. He says the energy to tackle less urgent issues just isn't there:
"It really is mentally draining when you work on this in the legislature all day and then you go home and talk to people in the grocery store who have been laid off," Hamrick says.Some lawmakers are banking on money from Washington to help them through this budget year and take the pressure off. Other are working on Governor Perdue's recommended budget, which so far includes no new federal funds.
