The deadline for the Iowa Legislature’s decision on budget cuts is looming.

Gov. Tom Vilsack wants all budget decisions for the remainder of the fiscal year, which ends in June, to be submitted by March 1.

The state needs to slash $120 million from its remaining budget for the fiscal year.

House Republicans met Monday to determine a plan to submit to the governor. House Majority Leader Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, said their plan will protect further reductions for the fiscal year for K-12 education, community colleges, prisons and Medicaid.

“We will transfer $45 million to the general fund from the economic emergency fund, or the rainy-day fund,” Rants said. “There will also be a 1 percent across-the-board cut to other forms of state government.”

Another aspect of the Republican’s remedy for budget woes is a furlough proposal for all state employees.

Under this plan every state employee, including those employed by universities, would be forced to take a half a day off work every pay period.

“We would make it flexible and leave it to management to decide [how to implement the program],” Rants said.

Sen. Johnie Hammond, D-Ames, said she sees difficulties in the implementation of furloughs.

“There are all kinds of complications,” Hammond said. “This could result in inequities and gaps in services that could be dangerous. For example, while child-protection workers may be exempt from the plan, foster care workers might be unavailable.”

Hammond said several situations at the university are unique and furloughs could be unequally distributed.

“There could be two people working together in a research lab, one funded by a grant, the other by state appropriations,” Hammond said.

“You can’t give a furlough to those on the grant.”

Hammond also said she advocates the use of economic emergency funds for the state’s budget problems.

“[The budget cuts] have been very painful and continue to be very painful,” Hammond said.

The Senate appropriations committee voted to debate the plan Monday night and the House appropriations committee voted on it Tuesday, Rants said.