Tax increase proposal fails to receive supermajority in State House

HB2414, the latest House budget proposal, failed to receive the required 3/4ths supermajority vote for passage this evening. It did end up with a bare majority, making it eligible for inclusion on the next general election ballot. The final vote was 51-46, after a last-second flurry of legislators flipped their initial 'yes' vote to 'no'.

No Democrats voted in favor, and 19 Republicans opposed the measure, which would have raised cigarette taxes, fuel taxes, and cut certain oil and gas collections.

According to the State Constitution, Friday is the deadline for any revenue-raising measure to be passed. Expect legislative leadership to bring up other ideas between now and then.