For a second time since Thursday, representatives failed to pass House Bill 1002, the general appropriations bill that is constitutionally required to be passed before the Arkansas Legislature can take on other appropriations.
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The vote was 68-3, but passage requires at least 75 votes in the 100-member House.
The general appropriation -- which funds judicial and legislative expenses in the next fiscal year -- was blocked again by Democrats.
Four Democrats voted for the bill, and three voted against. In addition, 21 Democrats voted "present." Seven Democrats and one Republican did not vote.
Last week, House Minority Leader Michael John Gray of Augusta sent out a letter requesting a halt on taking up any appropriations until the debate was settled over funding for Arkansas Works, Gov. Asa Hutchinson's reworked version of the state Medicaid expansion to provide medical coverage for about 267,000 low-income Arkansans.
That position prompted House Republicans to write their own letter asking Speaker of the House Jeremy Gillam, R-Judsonia, to move forward with HB1002 because "delaying action on the appropriation approvals will only be wasting valuable time and created added expense for the fiscal session."
Gillam said some Republicans were frustrated that their Democratic colleagues were being as obstinate as the 10 Republican senators who brought the fiscal session to a crawl last week with their opposition to funding Arkansas Works.
During floor debate Tuesday, Rep. Kim Hendren, R-Gravette, criticized fellow lawmakers, mostly Democrats, who didn't vote on HB1002 last week, a move that was tantamount to voting no.
"Last Thursday, because of what's going down on down there on that other end, several of my colleagues decided to take a walk by not voting," Hendren said. "'You can either take a walk not voting in the Senate or you can do it like a chicken like I did [in 1979, his first term] and just walk out. But I'll tell you what, sooner or later, the chickens come home to roost."
Rep. Mary Broadaway, D-Paragould, said it was best to wait, given the effect the Arkansas Works appropriation could have on the budget.
"While our budget hangs in the balance and we do not know what we're going to deal with ... with all due respect to leadership, I ask you to join me in voting no today until the appropriate time," she said.
Gray said that with the progress being made in finding the funding for Arkansas Works, he expected the House's general appropriation would pass on the next vote. Gray also said Democrats weren't holding up the appropriation on the condition of Arkansas Works' funding passing, but on getting a clear idea of where it stood.
"Had [the Senate's amendment to the Division of Medical Services appropriation] not gotten through, a general appropriation still would have gotten through [today]," Gray said. "We just wanted to see some forward movement on this. We had made the point that this was important."
The House convenes at 1:30 p.m. today.
A Section on 04/20/2016