Secretary of State Bob Brown announced today that the push for a special session apparently has failed. A majority of the 150 legislators (76) have rejected the session, he said in a news release. Forty-nine voted for a special session. Legislators have one more week to cast their votes.

Sen. John Bohlinger, a Billings Republican, was one of 10 legislators pushing for a special session on how to spend $20 million in unexpected tax revenue, plus federal relief funds. Most of his Bohlinger's fellow Republicans wouldn't go along: They cast 73 of the 76 votes against a special session. Democrats cast 47 of the 49 votes for the session, Brown said.

The only legislators so far to break ranks: Bohlinger and Sam Kitzenberg of Glasgow voted for the session on the Republican side, and three Democratic House members voted against a session: Norman Ballantyne of Valier, Gary Forrester of Billings and Gary Matthews of Miles City.