House Republicans are proposing new rules that would make tax increases harder to pass. 

Now, tax increases need a simple majority to pass but under the GOP's proposal they would need a two-thirds majority to become law, the AP reported. Republicans also want any change to apply to withdrawals from the state's rainy day fund as well.

They also want to bar the house speaker from voting unless there is a tie, claiming that the speaker's vote tends to strongly influence the vote of majority party members. 

The proposals came out just before Gov. Deval Patrick submitted his $34.8 billion budget to the State House.  The budget calls for an income tax increase of one percentage point – from 5.25 percent to 6.25 percent – coupled with a decrease in the sales tax from 6.25 percent to 4.5 percent.