Andover Rep. Agreement Lets House Resume Business

BOSTON (AP) - A freshman Republican House lawmaker has allowed a spending bill to move forward after winning a verbal agreement from the Patrick administration.
 
Rep. James Lyons of Andover held vigil in a virtually empty House chamber for 17 hours over the past two days as he pushed for an amendment calling for a detailed breakdown of state spending.
 
That had prevented Democratic leaders from gaveling through the Senate's version of a $500 million supplemental budget. Because the House is meeting informally, it only takes one lawmaker to block a bill.
 
Lyons had wanted the budget to include a detailed breakdown of taxpayer-funded benefits. Late Friday, Secretary of Health and Human Services Dr. JudyAnn Bigby promised to provide Lyons with the information.
 
The amendment was previously backed by the House, but the Senate removed it.
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