HARRISBURG -- The state House ended its business abruptly and chaotically today, with Republicans blasting the ruling Democrats for going home before voting on the state's long-delayed annual appropriations for four state-related universities.

Democrats, in turn, accused Republicans of conducting lengthy filibusters and creating procedural delays that prevented business from getting done, including a vote on a bill to add table games to state casinos.

About noon, House Democratic leaders -- unexpectedly -- adjourned business until Monday. Several of their members couldn't be present today due to personal reasons, meaning there weren't enough votes to approve a bill to legalize table games at state casinos, which was supposed to be the day's main business.

Last night, Democratic leaders had said they would be voting today on both the table games bill and annual appropriations for Penn State, Pitt, Temple and Lincoln universities.

Rep. Kathy Watson, R-Bucks, said Temple is close to sending out supplemental tuition bills of $3,000 to $5,000 to its students for the second semester because the state has delayed so long in approving Temple's $178 million appropriation.

"Some students may not be able to return for the second semester if they and their families can't afford that extra tuition," she said, blaming Democrats.

Temple University, which already sent out spring semester bills without a surcharge, had no comment on the representative's remark.

Before sending out spring semester bills last month, both Penn State University and the University of Pittsburgh said a surcharge would not be included, but they added that it did not preclude a future adjustment depending on the outcome of state budget deliberations.

Officials of both schools today indicated the status of any additional charge has not changed.

"There is no plan to right now," Penn State spokesman Geoff Rushton said. "The possibility is still there (but) that doesn't mean we're planning to do this."

"If and when we decide we need to revise our tuition, we will notify our students, their families and the media," Pitt spokesman John Fedele said.

Michael Hill, vice president for development and external relations at Lincoln University, said, "There has been no discussion at our executive level of doing a surcharge at this point. . . . That would be the method of last resort."

The start time for today's legislative session also became a point of dispute. Last night, House Speaker Keith McCall said the House would begin at the unusually early hour of 8 a.m. But just after midnight, Democrats said, an e-mail update went out to all legislators changing the start time until 10 a.m.

But House Republican leader Sam Smith countered that Republicans weren't told about the change in time, and several of them had driven an hour or more home last night, only to come back to the Capitol at an early hour for the 8 a.m. start that never happened.

"God forbid if someone had fallen asleep at the wheel and been killed,'' said Rep. Mario Scavello, R-Monroe, whose brother did die in that fashion a year ago.

Gov. Ed Rendell has been pressing the House to approve Senate Bill 711, which would permit table games at slots casinos as a way to generate an additional $200 million for the state budget this year. The House had been expected to approve the bill today and send it to the Senate for what could be final action next week.

But now the House won't be back until Monday and it isn't certain when final action could occur on the bill. Mr. Rendell has warned of additional state employee layoffs if table games aren't approved soon because the state needs the $200 million.

Brett Marcy, an aide to House Majority Leader Todd Eachus, D-Luzerne, accused Republicans of being "major hypocrites," claiming both the table games bill and the money for the universities could have been approved last night if Republicans hadn't tied the chamber up in lengthy procedural delays over which bills to discuss first. He said the GOP used "hours of nothing but stall and delay tactics -- in essence a filibuster."

Republican tried to get the universities' money voted on before the table games bill was discussed, but ultimately failed. The House has a rule requiring adjournment at 11 p.m., which arrived before discussion on the table games bill was finished.

As for why the vote on table games was put off until Monday, Mr. Marcy said that eight to 10 House Democrats had to be absent today for family, personal or health reasons, and the lack of those votes would have made it impossible to approve table games.

There are 104 Democrats and 99 Republicans and almost no Republicans are expected to vote for expanded gambling. So at least 102 Democratic votes are needed.

"It's abundantly clear that Democrats need every vote to get table games passed," Mr. Marcy said.

"We were here to do business today," Mr. Smith said of House Republicans. "We were told we'd be in session and we're here. The Democrats are failing to serve the people."

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

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