Former House Speaker O'Brien submitted an amendment to eliminate any increase in the gas tax and instead eliminate the diversion of funds from the Highway Fund to other departments. The vast majority of the diversion is the Department of Safety. They use about 90% of the funds diverted from the Highway Fund. By statute this diversion can not exceed 27%. The amendment was defeated by a vote of 120-251.
For background, the House has 420 members including 228 democrats and 192 Republicans. When the amendment was voted there were 371 members voting. When the Gas Tax bill passed there was 370 voting.
Of the 207 voting for the bill, only 15 were republicans. Of the 163 voting against the bill, 10 were Democrats.
The next stop will be in the House Ways and Means Committee.
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