State legislators are working together to draft a proposal allowing the governor to extend budget cuts to the courts, constitutional officers, and state lawmakers, Rep. Dale Righter, R-Mattoon, said Monday.

The proposal would increase Gov. George Ryan’s budget-cutting power during the nation-wide recession and replace a similar proposal that was defeated in the state House by one vote Thursday.

While the legislature works to broaden this year’s budget cuts to include more state agencies, Eastern administrators hope the already proposed cuts in its budget won’t carry over to next year.

Righter said that university officials have expressed concern that Eastern’s current proposed budget cut of approximately $2.3 million could become a base cut. A base cut would mean that Eastern would receive almost $2.3 million less for the 2003 fiscal year budget, which begins in July.

The Illinois Board of Higher Education suggested that the cuts would not be base cuts, Righter said. Instead, Eastern would be required to pay back $2.3 million to the state this year, but Eastern’s budget for the 2003 fiscal year would not be reduced. This issue remains questionable until Gov. Ryan delivers his 2003 budget address in March.

Meanwhile, the legislature is working to draft a proposal that would distribute budgets cuts at a broader range and hopefully lessen the impact felt by state universities.

This proposal comes after the House rejected a bill last Thursday that would allow the governor to cut the state funds from a greater number of state-funded institutions.

Righter voted against the bill, which he said never went through a single committee to be discussed, and excluded the courts and constitutional officers such as the Illinois Attorney General, Secretary of State and state lawmakers.

Righter said that he hopes the new proposal would include these programs in the budget cuts.

“It is not fair and it is not right to take money from medical providers and not touch the budget of the courts or lawmakers,” Righter said.

Righter noted that it is not good practice to send a bill to the House floor without any discussion by committee, and without giving many lawmakers the time to fully understand the details of the bill.

The new proposal will not be finalized until the legislature meets for the final time this fiscal year on Jan. 29, Righter said.