If state lawmakers don’t approve a two-year operating budget by Friday, portions of state government will shut down on July 1 because Republican Governor Matt Bevin says he will not call lawmakers back for a special session.
Bevin’s comments raise the stakes for the fragile budget negotiations that resumed Tuesday following a tense weekend. After a weeklong stalemate, budget talks broke down again late Sunday only to be revived hours later after Bevin made a public plea for lawmakers to extend the deadline to Friday.
State law does not allow the legislature to meet after Friday, however, giving them a hard deadline to reach an agreement.
The Legislative Research Commission estimates a special session will cost taxpayers $62,784 per day. If lawmakers don’t pass a budget and Bevin refuses to call a special session, parts of state government would shut down because they would not have the authority to spend money.
Democrats control the House of Representatives, while Republicans control the state Senate. Both legislative bodies must approve a budget for it to become law. House and Senate leaders resumed budget negotiations Tuesday.
The 2005 state Supreme Court ruling says the only things that could be paid for are those mandated by the state constitution and the federal government. That would include salaries for state lawmakers and statewide elected officers, plus money for prisons, K-12 public schools and federal programs such as Medicaid and food stamps.
Other programs, although it is not clear which, would not be funded.
Source: AP
You must be logged in to post a comment.