If successful Friday, the Republican move would decimate the Department of Public Health and Human Services budget to one-millionth of its proposed level.
The gambit is aimed at winning the votes of all 50 Republicans and the lone Constitution Party member, Rep. Rick Jore of Ronan, to pass the bill in the 100-member House and send it to the Senate.
However, there is widespread belief that the Democratic-controlled Senate would restore most of the
$3 billion if the human services budget passes the House.
House Speaker Scott Sales, R-Bozeman, said Republicans are forced to take the severe step simply to muster enough votes to pass the bill on to the Senate because of Democratic opposition.
He blamed Democrats, who have united against the eight Republican budget bills, for becoming “obstructionists” to the detriment of their own supporters and for refusing to support amendments to add money or the bills themselves.
House Democratic Minority Leader John Parker of Great Falls criticized Republicans for even considering cutting a
$3 billion budget to $300 to secure Jore’s vote.
“We shouldn’t be willing to sacrifice seniors and kids for one single vote,” he said.
By a 54-46 vote, the House rejected House Bill 808, by Rep. Edith Clark, R-Sweetgrass, to approve the
$3 billion budget for the next two years.
All 49 Democrats voted against it. They were joined by four Republicans - Roger Koopman of Bozeman, Tom McGillvray of Billings, Jon Sonju of Kalispell and Sales - and Jore. Forty-six Republicans backed the bill.
The vote followed another day of rancorous floor debate in the narrowly split House, with members shouting angrily at each other at times.
After HB808 failed, Parker tried to blast the original budget bill, House Bill 2, from a committee where it was tabled and bring it to the House floor for debate. It needed 60 votes and failed 50-50.
HB2 was the single, consolidated budget bill that Republicans jettisoned last month, instead offering six - and now eight - separate budget bills. Republicans have said the multiple bills provide more accountability and scrutiny of the budget and give lawmakers the chance to vote for some and against others, unlike with a single bill.
Democrats have fought the GOP decision to change the 30-year-old budgeting process mid-session. They also are irate that a few Republicans trimmed back the budget increases recommended by bipartisan House-Senate appropriations subcommittees.
“If the debate the past two days have made anything clear, people on both sides of the aisle are looking for the bipartisan handshake,” Parker said, suggesting Democrats would work with Republicans to pass HB2.
His voice rising, House Republican Leader Michael Lange of Billings said, “I would rise in strong, strong opposition to this motion. HB2 is on the table.”
After all Democrats and some Republicans opposed Clark’s amendment to add money to her bill, Rep. Alan Olson, R-Roundup, said he was tired of lawmakers criticizing proposals without presenting alternatives.
“Bring us an idea,” Olson said. “Quit whining, all of us, everyone in here. If you’ve got a solution, bring it forward.”
That set off Rep. Jon Sesso, D-Butte, who said: “I’m not going to sit here and be told I’m doing any whining. I’ve got an idea. Let’s bring back House Bill 2 where it belongs. The Republicans changed this process, not the Democrats.”
After Clark’s three amendments to add money failed, Rep. Bill Glaser, R-Huntley, said he was going to offer the proposal to cut the budget from $3 billion to $300. He dropped the effort when he thought Clark’s main bill would pass, but it failed.
Either Glaser, the senior House member who has diagnosed the body as “dysfunctional,” or someone else will offer the same amendment Friday.
Clark pleaded for votes, but seemed to know her bill was doomed.
“My message out there to the people is do not panic,” she said. “There are a lot of steps left. I believe in miracles and in the goodness of people, all people.There’s a lot more work to do, so let’s get to it.”
Earlier Friday, the House approved budgets for the Department of Corrections and several other departments on a 51-49 vote.
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