fbpx

Deal Reached on CHIP Initiative Money

By Beacon Staff

HELENA – Republicans and Democrats brokered a House budget deal Monday that calls for full funding of the children’s health insurance initiative that was approved last fall by voters — and promises quick action on a normally contentious issue.

Members of the House Appropriations Committee hailed an easy voice vote, with no debate, on the state’s main spending plan as a historic work of bipartisanship.

“This is kind of a milestone in our time here,” said Veteran GOP lawmaker Walter McNutt of Sidney. “I think we have demonstrated that you can come up here (to the Capitol) and get along.”

The measure trims less than $100 million from the governor’s proposed budget, fully funds $35 million to expand the Children’s Health Insurance Plan and leaves the state with reserves of about $250 million for the upcoming two-year budget period.

McNutt said lawmakers from both sides put aside “petty wishes.”

“I think we did a yeoman’s job,” he said.

McNutt lauded House Appropriations Committee Chairman Jon Sesso, a Democrat, for getting both sides to work together amicably.

McNutt said the main budget deal paves the way for more bipartisanship as lawmakers start crafting plans separately to spend about $800 million in federal stimulus money.

“I think it does set a good tone,” he said.

Sesso, from Butte, said both sides sought a budget that ensured the state lives within its means during tough times.

In years past, long hours were spent arguing over amendments to the budget bill as Republicans and Democrats entrenched themselves along partisan lines. This year, with the house split 50-50, the chamber took a a different tack.

Sesso said various groups of lawmakers met over the weekend to find places to cut another $60 million from where the committee left the spending plan last week. He said key members from both sides worked together earnestly.

“I could not be more grateful,” Sesso said.

McNutt said the talks allowed Republicans, who had been getting beat up over previous refusal to endorse funding for the Initiative 155 expansion of Chip, to become comfortable with spending the money.

“We needed some time to figure out how we could do this so it wasn’t a budget breaker,” McNutt said.

He said he hopes the issue is now taken out of the political arena.

Members of the appropriations panel said they expect few changes in a House floor vote next week to the carefully crafted compromise. It spends about $3.7 billion in state general fund money.

It would then go to a Senate controlled by Republicans. McNutt said he expects changes there — but far fewer now that the House will be speaking with one bipartisan voice.

Sesso said the stimulus spending plan, which starts in subcommittees later this week, does not backfill many of the areas already trimmed from the governor’s budget. But he said there could be overlap that will be fully understood in the coming days.

The committee chairman said lawmakers are looking forward, after painful cuts to the main budget, to the idea of spending $800 million in federal money — even though they have little discretion with most of it.

Rep. Llew Jones, R-Conrad, has often been a key figure in dealmaking with Democrats. But he said this time stands out.

“We just got along,” he said. “We knew we needed to work together with a vision. We’re kind of the crew that could.”