AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) - The Latest on Maine’s budget impasse (all times local):
10:15 p.m.
Maine lawmakers say they have reached a tentative agreement on a new budget that could end a state government shutdown.
The budget has been hung up by a disagreement between Republican Gov. Paul LePage and state Democrats about an increase to a state lodging tax. A spokeswoman for Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon says lawmakers will vote late Monday or early Tuesday on a new spending plan that repeals that increase.
The Maine House of Representatives cast a key vote on Monday night designed to set in motion a chain of events that can bring the new budget accord up for a vote.
State government shut down on Saturday morning because of the lack of a budget.
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5:40 p.m.
Members of his party say Republican Gov. Paul LePage plans to leave the state amid a government shutdown, but a spokesman for the governor dismissed the idea as “fake news.”
The Maine House is set to vote on a budget proposal on Monday.
If the proposal gets 101 or more votes, it can move to LePage for consideration.
Republicans including Senate President Michael Thibodeau say LePage has informed them of plans to leave the state. Republican Sen. Roger Katz says LePage made clear he plans to leave Maine “for 10 days.”
That is how long LePage would have to make a decision on the budget, which contains provisions he opposes. LePage spokesman Peter Steele tells multiple media outlets that the claim is “fake news.” He didn’t return a message from The Associated Press.
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3:05 p.m.
The Maine Senate is signing off on a proposal to end the state’s partial government shutdown, setting the stage for a climactic final House vote later in the day.
The House passed the budget with 92 votes on Monday, but must pass it with at least 101 votes later Monday afternoon. The passage of a budget would end a shutdown that began on Saturday morning.
Passage in the Senate has not been nearly as difficult, and the budget bill passed by unanimous consent on Monday. But Republican Gov. Paul LePage has dug in on demanding no increase to a state lodging tax, and many House Republicans have followed his lead.
Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon says eliminating the lodging tax hike is not on the table.
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1:20 p.m.
The Maine House of Representatives has passed a budget that would end the state’s partial government shutdown, but will need more votes for the spending plan to win final approval.
The shutdown was in its third day on Monday. The House passed the budget by a count of 92-54 on Monday. The proposal now moves to the Senate, which is expected to pass it.
The budget will need a two-thirds majority, or 101 votes, to earn final approval in the House in a second vote.
Democratic House Speaker Sara Gideon says Republican Gov. Paul LePage has told her he’d sign the proposal if lawmakers eliminated a lodging tax increase. However, the tax increase remains in the budget.
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11:15 a.m.
Maine’s partial government shutdown is entering its third day with state employees and union activists calling for state Republicans to support a budget compromise that could end the stalemate.
The state Legislature failed to enact a budget Friday, causing the shutdown. The Legislature has a chance to vote on a new spending plan Monday after a budget panel reached a late agreement on Sunday.
The new proposal hangs on to an increase in the state’s lodging tax, which could make it unpalatable to House Republicans and Republican Gov. Paul LePage. But Democrats and unions say the standoff has gone on too long and it’s time to reopen Maine.
Union members held a rally outside the Maine State House on Monday morning to fault the GOP and call for budget passage.
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