Topeka ? A proposed state budget that the House spent two days creating  and then rejected  is back in play.

House members voted Thursday to reconsider their rejection of the plan, then voted 66-55 to tentatively approve a bill containing the state’s spending plans for the budget year beginning July 1.

All 44 of the minority Democrats who were present voted against advancing the measure, which contains no requirement for tax increases.

The bill would increase aid to public schools by $10 per pupil, to $3,880, and protect some social services from cuts.

But it would leave a shortfall estimated by legislative staff Thursday at $128 million.

If approved on a second House vote, scheduled for Friday, the bill would go to the Senate, which has yet to debate a proposed budget. The final version will be drafted by House and Senate negotiators.

Legislators are trying to cover a $700 million gap between expected revenues and required spending over the next 15 months.

Speaker Kent Glasscock said Thursday’s vote was designed to keep work on a budget bill progressing as the 90-day session hit Day 74.

“I don’t like this budget bill any better than yesterday,” said Glasscock, R-Manhattan.

On Wednesday, the chamber voted 76-46 against the same plan. Glasscock voted against it.

Glasscock said he would not vote for a budget that comes back to the House that looked anything like the current bill.

Democrats said they were caught off-guard by the vote, only learning of plans to reconsider after the House concluded a lengthy day of debate on other issues.

“It’s very clear that there’s no one in charge of this House,” said Minority Leader Jim Garner.

Garner said Democrats, outnumbered 79-46 by Republicans, received assurances Wednesday that they would have other opportunities to offer amendments later this session  and didn’t offer some ideas.

Glasscock said a bill had to keep moving, or legislators might be in session for an extra month.

Gov. Bill Graves has proposed raising taxes by $364 million, but many House members oppose any increase.

The House’s budget bill was a heavily amended version of a no-new-taxes plan drafted by the Appropriations Committee.