Partial Budget Override Votes Expected Today In Pa. House

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa., (CBS) -- As Pennsylvania nears the end of its eighth week without a budget, the Republican-controlled state House Tuesday is expected to attempt something highly unusual -- line-by-line override votes on portions of Governor Wolf's budget veto.

House Republican spokesman Steve Miskin says there are 401 lines in the budget that was vetoed, but he says there is general agreement with the governor about the spending allocated in many lines. Miskin says the House today plans take override votes on some of those budget lines.

"These lines will not have any effect on the overall budget. They're not going to have any effect on what the governor is trying to accomplish," said Miskin.

Despite Miskin's assertions, a spokesman for House Democrats says the state does not need more "grandstanding" and that they will oppose the override effort. Republicans have a large majority in the House but would need some Democratic votes. Miskin, meanwhile, denies Democrats' assertions that the line-item override votes are unconstitutional.

A two-thirds vote of the House is required to override. Any successful House override would also require a two-thirds vote in the Senate.