With lawmakers facing a June 30 deadline to pass a two-year state budget, Senate and House leaders say speculation about a government shutdown is unfounded.
In a joint statement Wednesday, Senate President Chuck Morse and House Speaker Shawn Jasper said leaders in state government are doing everything in their power to make sure a budget is passed before the deadline.
The statement came just hours after the state Republican Party launched a so-called shutdown clock, counting down to the end of the state’s fiscal year.
Republican Party Chair Jennifer Horn called on Gov. Maggie Hassan to pledge not to veto the budget that comes out of House and Senate negotiations.
Hassan has been highly critical of the $11.3 billion budget passed by the Senate, particularly its lack of funding for continuing the state’s Medicaid expansion program.
Hassan says she hopes to work with Republican leadership on reaching a compromise on the budget, but has not ruled out a veto.