As expected, the House and Senate on Monday sent to a six-member conference committee for resolution differing bills dealing with habitual offenders and sentencing laws. The House declined to endorse an omnibus crime bill unanimously backed by the Senate, appointing Reps. Eugene O'Flaherty (D-Chelsea), David Linsky (D-Natick) and Bradford Hill (R-Ipswich) to a conference committee to resolve the matter with the Senate. The Senate followed suit, naming Sens. Cynthia Creem (D-Newton), Steven Baddour (D-Methuen) and Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester) to negotiate on the matter. The House bill focused solely on provisions targeting repeat violent offenders, restricting their eligibility for parole. The Senate included a more sweeping array of changes to drug laws, gun policies, wiretapping by state authorities and sentencing for nonviolent drug offenders.

State Capital Briefs - Lunch Edition - Monday, Nov. 28, 2011, State House News Service