Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, encourages members to send the supplemental budget bill back to Appropriations and Financial Affairs Committee during debate Tuesday in the House chamber at the Maine State House in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal

The Maine House of Representatives voted along party lines Tuesday to advance a plan to close a state budget shortfall, failing to achieve the two-thirds support needed for the proposal to take effect immediately and avoid potential delays in payments to hospitals for care provided to MaineCare patients.

House Republicans were unified in opposition to the proposal and sought to send the $121 million supplemental spending plan back to the Legislature’s budget-writing committee to try to reach a compromise. The committee previously endorsed the proposal in a unanimous vote of those present, but a Republican committee member who was absent at the time of the vote later rallied his party to oppose the deal.

Democrats rejected the effort and called for a vote to pass the budget package as a bipartisan emergency measure so it could take effect immediately. But it only generated Democratic support and was unanimously opposed by Republicans, falling well short of the 101 votes needed to enact the budget as an emergency measure.

Democrats then tabled the bill before coming back into session Tuesday evening and voting 75-68 to pass it with a narrow majority. It is expected to go to the Senate next week.

If ultimately passed without the two-thirds support, the budget adjustments will not take effect until 90 days after the Legislature adjourns. That would mean the proposal does not take effect until September, unless the Legislature adjourns ahead of schedule.

Historically, the Legislature has passed compromise budgets with bipartisan support. But twice in recent years, the Democratic majority has adjourned early after passing budgets without Republican support.

Republicans vowed to withhold support unless Democrats agree to cut the state’s General Assistance program, which is a safety net program of last resort for people who can’t afford basic needs, or to enact work requirements for MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program.

House Minority Leader Billy Bob Faulkingham, R-Winter Harbor, said Republicans agree that providing funding for hospitals and approving funds to control a spruce budworm infestation in northern Maine are important objectives. But he said his party would not “sign a blank check without seeing some fiscal responsibility in the form of cost savings.”

“If that doesn’t come in the form of General Assistance reform or work requirements, we are open to suggestions from the other side,” Faulkingham said. “But we have yet to see any proposals that suggest a willingness to put cost savings into the budget.”

Democrats criticized Republicans for reneging on a deal negotiated and endorsed by the party’s own members who were present for the budget committee’s vote.

Rep. Drew Gattine, D-Westbrook, said the proposal is a stripped-down version of Gov. Janet Mills’ original version — which included GA reforms and a suspension of cost-of-living increases for direct care workers — that also includes several other Republican priorities. Both sides initially agreed to put off the debate on more contentious issues until the Legislature debates a new two-year budget in the coming weeks.

The supplemental budget includes $118 million for the state’s MaineCare program. The administration and Democrats warned that failure to pass it with the two-thirds support needed for it to take effect immediately means health care providers would see a delay or reduction in MaineCare reimbursements from the state, which could reduce access to care, especially in rural areas.

“Real Mainers,” said Rep. Michele Meyers, D-Eliot, “frankly don’t give a damn about our political squabbling. They care about their kids, their aged parents, their disabled parents, their foster child, their patients.”

Gattine said payments to MaineCare providers could be cut or suspended beginning in March.

The supplemental budget received a unanimous endorsement from the Legislature’s budget-writing committee, signaling smooth passage. But committee member Rep. Ken Fredette, R-Newport, missed the meeting and later tried to register a vote against the deal.

Fredette’s opposition prompted his Republican colleagues to withdraw their support and demand additional changes.

Republicans offered a series of floor amendments, outlining their budget demands, but Democrats said those policy discussions should be taken up within the context of the next biennial budget.

SEEKING MORE CONCESSIONS

Senate Democrats signaled a willingness to add cost-of-living raises for direct care workers if the Republicans would support the budget, but it was clear the minority party wanted additional concessions.

The budget faces an additional votes in both the House and Senate before it can be sent to Mills, who has urged Republicans to back the spending plan.

“I want to be clear: There is absolutely no need to obstruct a two-thirds passage of this bill,” Mills previously said.

“It will only hurt Maine people,” she said. “Republicans would be wise to support passage of the supplemental budget now and ensure that Maine health care providers receive the payments they need in a timely way.

“Once the supplemental is done, I will join them in vigorously pushing for much-needed reforms to General Assistance — something that I agree needs to happen — during negotiations on the biennial budget.”