Topeka — Republican leaders in the House told their rank-and-file members that they needed to approve a state budget Saturday or state employees would face furloughs.

But some GOP House members said they felt like they were being given a take-it or leave-it option, and others said they would vote against the budget unless they get a chance to vote for a bill putting the brakes on Common Core education standards.

The dispute arose on the 99th day of the legislative session, which was supposed to end at 90 days and Republican leaders had earlier said would be finished in 80 days.

“We have a Republican House, Senate and governor and we need to get our work done,” said House Majority Leader Jene Vickrey, R-Louisburg. “If we have bad results because of delays in our process … it has effects and those can affect all of us in the next year,” Vickrey said.

Vickrey said the Legislature is facing constitutional deadlines to appropriate funds for the next fiscal year. “The governor can’t spend money not passed by the Legislature,” he said.

Some state payments for July 1 and beyond are written as early as June 10, he said. To get an approved appropriations bill prepared for Gov. Sam Brownback to sign into law takes at least 7 days, he said. Vickrey said furloughs of state employees, and non-payment of insurance for some state employees was “right around the corner.” He said the House would take up the proposed budget later Saturday.

But Senate Majority Leader Terry Bruce, R-Hutchinson, said he didn’t think any state employees were in any imminent danger of being furloughed, but he said the Legislature needs to approve a budget.

State Rep. Pete DeGraaf, R-Mulvane, said he was a “No” vote on the budget until the House gets a chance to consider a bill that would suspend work on Common Core and proposed science standards for schools. Tea party groups say Common Core standards represent a federal intrusion on schools, but supporters of Common Core say the standards will improve education and note that they were developed by states.

On the issue of adopting a budget, state Rep. Ed Bideau, R-Chanute, said legislators have known for weeks about approaching deadlines and that the overtime session is playing havoc with school districts trying to prepare for the next year. “It smacks a little bit of a cramdown,” to be told the budget must be approved now, he said.