NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) – Deep divisions among majority Republicans in the Tennessee House on Thursday threw a monkey wrench into the state’s $37 billion annual spending plan.
Republican opponents of the gas tax hike that Gov. Bill Haslam has already signed into law led the charge to amend the state budget bill with a variety of pet projects that didn’t make it through the committee process. They were supported by Democrats, who say the GOP reneged on a deal to fund a block grant program for schools in exchange for earlier votes on the gas tax bill.
The result was a tense floor session featuring several closed-door meetings and heated exchanges. House Republican leaders ultimately decided to drop their resistance to the amendments, given that the Senate was unlikely to go along with them.
But a vote on the heavily-amended final version of the bill was put off over concerns about violating a provision in the Tennessee Constitution that requires lawmakers to pass a balanced budget. The chamber could update the bill to say that any extra costs would be covered by reserves, but many members are interested in bolstering the state’s rainy day fund rather than making withdrawals from it.
One amendment proposed by Rep. Matthew Hill, R-Jonesborough, would redirect $12 million from TennCare reserves to pay for emergency infant care around the state. Rep. Gerald McCormick of Chattanooga questioned why Hill hadn’t decided to bring the idea up before Thursday.