Republicans now have until mid-June to collect nearly 68,000 signatures to put the brakes on an $11.3 billion state budget passed by the Democratic majority in the state legislature.

A group of Republicans has filed a people’s veto with the Secretary of State’s office, which would put the budget up for a public vote in November but also put the law on hold in the interim.

There would then be a government shutdown unless an earlier special election was held, or another budget was passed.

Democrats say the people’s veto effort is irresponsible, while Republicans say they want a bigger say in government spending.

The $11.3 billion budget passed by Democrats is set to fund everything the state already pays for, as well as a $118 million Medicaid shortfall and $2 million to protect trees from invasive spruce budworms.

The Medicaid shortfall funding and budworm treatment funding were both part of a supplemental budget package for the current fiscal year that did nor pass.

Democrats plan to work on additional measures in the new budget they passed, which has $127 million in unspent revenue for lawmakers to decide on spending before a June statutory adjournment date.

Republicans need to gather 67,682 signatures of registered voters by June 18 and get them certified by the Secretary of State’s office in order for the people’s veto to take hold. The threshold is consider a stiff challenge, given the signatures must be gathered in less than 90 days.

The government shutdown would take effect in July 1, a day after the current state budget runs out out on June 30.

Republicans say they want to avoid a government shutdown and work on a budget that includes their priorities to cut spending and make major changes to the state’s Medicaid program, which is the source of major cost overruns.