Potholes in Juneau as session architects build

At this point in the session, it feels a bit like a big orange sign should be posted at the base of the Capitol's front stairs.

"WARNING: Construction Zone. Expect delays."

Under construction is the session closeout, or what it's going to take from two legislative bodies and a governor to make sure the gavel falls on time, no later than midnight Sunday, April 18.

While each has priorities -- bills passed, bills stalled, capital budget benefits, operating budget agreement -- the House and Senate are balancing pieces their memberships say are must-haves.

Both bodies met plenty through the weekend, with delays becoming less the exception and more the norm. Today, the Senate's 11 a.m. floor session was put off a bit; the House's midday gathering was stalled to 5 p.m. (An update ... it's 5:08 now, and no sign the House will be gaveling in any moment soon.)

How come? Those must-have pieces are still floating around, even though leadership has generally set a framework for how they will all fit together. But the Senate loses a little bargaining weight if it hands over a key bill before the House is ready to reciprocate, and everything is about avoiding those potential power imbalances at this point in the session.

Today's shifts seem to be tied to budget bills. The House wants to peel back the layers on a $2.8 billion capital budget expected to pass muster in the Senate tomorrow; the Senate is reaching out for a $384 million general obligation bond package crafted by House Finance, a companion of sorts to the capital budget.

And even when there's agreement on the end-of-session framework, there's also divergence.

House Speaker Mike Chenault this morning noted that the capital budget doesn't yet include projects important to House members, and that it will likely grow -- but could also shrink in turn if the House opts to take the governor's position that spending is out of line.

Each of those three seem to be hinting that construction can include demolition, but for now, it's all a work in progress.