PHOENIX — The Arizona House adopted a resolution Tuesday enabling public school districts to spend their entire cash allotment from this year's budget.
The resolution will lift the constitutionally mandated aggregate expenditure limit for one year.
The resolution was also on the calendar in the Senate, but a vote was postponed after a member was excused to attend to a family emergency.
Lifting the A-E-L limit frees up $1.4 billion, approximately 18% of a school district's budget.
"Whether you were here in this chamber last year or not, we did that constitutional duty and we passed a budget. This money was in that budget, and I just don't understand how we can limit public district K-12 schools with a cap," said Globe State Representative David Cook, sponsor of HR 2001 to lift the spending limit.
The resolution passed by a 46-14 vote, more than the two-thirds majority needed.
Most of the lawmakers who opposed the resolution were elected in November and they pledged no allegiance to last session's vote.
They argue districts are wasting millions of dollars.
"Before we throw more money at this problem, we need systematic reform in terms of transparency, accountability," said Alexander Kolodin, (R) Phoenix District 3.
