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"It’s great news that the Legislature acted tonight to protect the Education Legacy Trust Fund by voting to fix a glitch in our estate tax law. That loophole would have let wealthy couples avoid paying estate taxes that single and divorced individuals must pay.
“The legislation I will sign tonight restores the original intent of the voter-approved estate tax -- to ensure that the wealthier among us, upon their passing, contribute to the future of this state.
“The bill also provides tax relief for family-owned businesses while not reducing support for the Education Legacy Trust Fund.
“Now that we have gotten over this hurdle, lawmakers need to shift their focus to approving a sound budget that helps us meet our constitutional obligation to fund basic education.
“We need to see compromise and good-faith negotiations on the operating, capital and transportation budgets that must be passed.”