In a rather strange kangaroo meeting that seems to fit right in with the first two months of the 2011 legislative session, Republican leaders on the House Health and Human Services Appropriations subcommittee forced a “vote” of sorts this morning on the package of HHS budget cuts included in Governor Perdue’s proposed budget, but none of her expansion items (such as proposed increases to mental health).

In other words, upon a surprise motion of the subcommittee chair (ordered by the full committee chairs), the group was forced to vote “up or down” on the total package of proposed cuts ($218 million worth) — many of which the group had never even discussed in detail at all.The group was given just a few minutes to consider the “motion.” It passed on an apparently partisan voice vote. 

As to what impact this vote will have, it’s unclear. The subcommittee chair, Nelson Dollar of Wake County said that the group would have to find an additional $375 million in cuts on top of the package “adopted” today. Several members, however, including Republican members, questioned some of the cuts included in today’s package. One member, Republican Senator Tommy Tucker, questioned whether the vote wasn’t simply “symbolic.”

Some observers at the meeting theorized that the directive to move ahead on the package came from House and Senate leadership in response to their frustration that subcommittees weren’t moving faster to slash budgets. According to some reports, even some Republicans are coming to understand the shortsightedness of some of the cuts under consideration and are balking at swift action.

Let’s hope some members are slowly coming to their senses. Stay tuned…