The Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee initially approved the supplemental budget bill, LD 209, on Feb. 5. However, when a Republican committee member attempted to register his vote against the bill the next day and was not allowed to do so, the deal collapsed, leading all House and Senate Republicans to vote against it.
Since the supplemental budget requires bipartisan, two-thirds support to take effect immediately as emergency legislation, it would need 101 votes in the 151-member House. When the Legislature reconvened on Feb. 25 after a weeklong break, the House voted 75-70 on the bill, failing to reach the necessary threshold for enactment. The House then reconsidered and added an amendment along party lines, carrying forward unexpended balances to close the current budget gap. The move appears to be an attempt by the Democratic majority to pass the bill without Republican support.
Meanwhile, the Appropriations Committee has been holding hearings on the biennial budget bill, LD 210, which includes a proposal to increase the per-gallon fee on architectural paint, assessed at the manufacturer or wholesaler level, from 25 cents to 75 cents to support the Lead Poisoning Prevention Fund. Separately, the Department of Environmental Protection has approved a request from PaintCare to increase the fee on new architectural paint, assessed at the point of sale, to boost the take-back program’s reserve fund. It remains unclear how these two fee increases will be reconciled.