TOPEKA ? A vote is scheduled today that could make or break the special legislative session.

House Speaker Doug Mays, R-Topeka, said his chamber will agree to a $145 million increase for school funding to comply with an order from the Kansas Supreme Court.

But Mays said approval will happen only on the condition that the House approve a proposed constitutional amendment that would prohibit the court from ordering lawmakers in the future to appropriate funds.

Without approval of the amendment, he said the session that started June 22 will likely end today — the deadline for the court-ordered school funding.

“We are still insisting that the constitutional amendment pass,” Mays said.

To gain approval in the House, a proposed constitutional amendment must gain two-thirds’ support, which is 84 votes in the 125-member House.

Republicans outnumber Democrats 83-42, and some moderate Republicans refuse to vote for the amendment. “It’s in the hands of the Democrats,” Mays said.

But Democrats, so far, have opposed the constitutional amendment and want Mays to allow a vote on a bipartisan school finance plan.

“He is risking the closing of schools,” House Democratic Leader Dennis McKinney of Greensburg said of Mays.

Democrats have said the proposed constitutional amendment would infringe on people’s rights to take disputes to court by removing the power of courts to order remedies.

“This moves into the area of impairing the ability of courts to correct people’s problems,” McKinney said.

If adopted by the Legislature, the amendment would be on the ballot during a special election in August or September. It would require a majority vote to pass.

What the court would do if lawmakers fail to provide the increased funding by today’s deadline has been the subject of much speculation.

McKinney said if the Legislature fails to come up with a plan today, another special session may be called next week.