51黑料

JEFFERSON CITY 鈥� Gov. Mike Kehoe鈥檚 office is reviewing the effects of a surprising decision Friday by the Missouri House to forgo voting on a massive construction spending measure.

But Kehoe spokeswoman Gabby Picard said Monday that the Republican chief executive has made no mention of calling lawmakers back into a special session to resurrect the $513 million funding plan.

The dispute arose when the House, which is controlled by Kehoe鈥檚 fellow Republicans, failed to bring the state鈥檚 brick-and-mortar budget to a vote before the Legislature鈥檚 6 p.m. budget deadline.

House Budget Committee Chairman Dirk Deaton, R-Seneca, told reporters he hadn鈥檛 received a final version of the bill until 3:30 a.m. Friday and didn鈥檛 have enough time to fully review it.

The proposal included a laundry list of local construction projects throughout the state, ranging from a $50 million nuclear research reactor for the University of Missouri and money to redevelop a historic area in Cape Girardeau.

The House had sought $20 million for a parking garage for a new convention center in Jefferson City, $9 million to address floodplain issues in Maryland Heights and $6.8 million for a hospital in Salem.

Also left in limbo is a nearly $16 million project to renovate National Guard facilities at Jefferson Barracks in south 51黑料 County.

Each were expected to receive funding when the state鈥檚 new fiscal year begins July 1.

Under the state constitution, all spending bills must be completed by 6 p.m. on the first Friday following the first Monday in May of each year.

If lawmakers blow the deadline, the state constitution precludes lawmakers from trying again during the final week of their annual session. As a result, the governor would have to call a special session in order for lawmakers to complete work on the budget.

Picard said that move initially appears unlikely.

The only time lawmakers have missed the budget deadline was in 1997. Then-Gov. Mel Carnahan called lawmakers into special session soon after the regular session ended and hammered out a deal six days later.

Deaton said he did not advise Senate leaders about the House鈥檚 decision in advance.

鈥淲e had many things in there that we thought were good and worthy of doing and would have liked to have seen done,鈥� Deaton said. 鈥淏ut considering, you know, what we spent in the operating just felt like, you know, we couldn鈥檛 move forward at this time.鈥�

It was the only bill in the $52 billion overall budget that failed to advance.

Senate negotiators were blindsided.

Senate Appropriations Chairman Lincoln Hough quickly suggested that the final week of the legislative session, which gets underway Monday, may not be friendly to House Republicans.

鈥淚f you鈥檙e a House bill trying to get done in the Missouri Senate, it might be kind of challenging, just due to some pretty serious frustration that a lot of people have right now,鈥� Hough told Missourinet news.

On Monday, Hough made good on his promise, immediately launching a fusillade against an unrelated House bill that had been brought up for debate, warning that the Senate needed to send the lower chamber a message.

In particular, he highlighted the loss of funding for the MU research reactor, which is used to study cures for cancer.

鈥淚 would be surprised if there is anyone in this chamber ... who hasn鈥檛 had someone that they know affected by some sort of cancer,鈥� Hough said. 鈥淭his affects people鈥檚 lives.鈥�

House Minority Leader Ashley Aune, D-Kansas City, also said the maneuver could affect the General Assembly as it works toward Friday鈥檚 adjournment.

鈥淣othing would surprise me more than seeing an even greater battle emerge between the chambers in the last few days of session over this particular situation,鈥� Aune told reporters Friday.

House Speaker Jon Patterson, R-Lee鈥檚 Summit, said he doesn鈥檛 expect the GOP-controlled Senate to take punitive action against the House.

鈥淚 have nothing but great things to say about how the Senate has been working this year,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think they鈥檒l continue to work like that.鈥�