Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared Wednesday he will sign no more bills until lawmakers pass a state budget, and the Legislature responded with a collective yawn.

The Republican governor saw his announcement as another game-changer in a budget dispute that has entered its 38th day, coming on the heels of an executive order last week that expanded the universe of budget pain by laying off more than 10,000 employees and seeking to slash wages for about 180,000 state workers.

With little leverage over either Democrats or Republicans, Schwarzenegger is searching for ways to pressure lawmakers into swift resolution, even wishing out loud Wednesday the state could eliminate pay for lawmakers once they miss their budget deadline, with no back wages owed. He predicted "some good bills will fail" under his new bill policy.

"We do not have the luxury for stretching out this process any longer," Schwarzenegger said. "The only thing that the Legislature should be focusing on is reaching a budget compromise immediately."

But Schwarzenegger's no-signature threat likely will have little practical effect because lawmakers know there are ways to skirt his idle pen.

The governor said he will veto bills before they become law after 12 days without his signature. But legislators can simply withhold bills from the governor until Aug. 18, the start of a six-week window in which the 12-day rule does not apply. That likely buys lawmakers cover from a veto until Sept. 30.

Schwarzenegger aides said the governor will even allow lawmakers to pull back the 13 Senate bills they sent to his desk before Wednesday, an offer the Senate will accept.

Lawmakers returned this week with slightly more than 1,000 bills to act upon before the two-year session ends Aug. 31, according to the Assembly speaker's office. Among the proposals are ones that would ban text messaging while driving, require paid sick leave for every worker and impose penalties on students for online bullying.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, D-Los Angeles, called the governor's proposal "yet another distraction that won't have much impact other than the possible veto of public policy that moves our state forward."

Republicans, whose votes are crucial to the budget, dismissed the governor's bill blockade and said it would have no impact. They prefer fewer new laws, and the ones they do carry rarely survive the Democratic-controlled Legislature.

"I think this is just another gimmicky stunt on behalf of the governor," said Assemblyman Anthony Adams, R-Hesperia. "He's doing what he thinks he needs to to motivate the Big 4 (legislative leaders). But I don't think it has much meaning for Republicans."

One legislator mockingly welcomed the governor's threat.

"Great!" said Sen. Jeff Denham, R-Atwater, in a statement. "Many of the bills the Legislature passes do California more harm than good."

Schwarzenegger has employed pressure tactics this summer unlike those in his previous four budget years. His executive order caught legislators by surprise.

Signaling how frustrated he is by the budget process, the governor also has offered a range of imaginative ideas, from locking leaders in a room without a toilet to docking lawmaker pay, even though he does not appear serious about pursuing either avenue.

"I'm just talking about we've got to have consequences, because then people think twice, rather than being so casual about it," Schwarzenegger said.

Steve Merksamer, a Sacramento lawyer who served as chief of staff to Republican Gov. George Deukmejian in the 1980s, said the governor's latest move was possibly unprecedented and necessary to get legislators focused.

Past governors had built-in leverage over lawmakers at budget time: Late spending plans meant a broad range of state workers, school employees and other beneficiaries of state spending would not get paid, bringing pressure on the leaders to finish their work.

The governor's executive order could have some comparable impacts, but Democratic state Controller John Chiang, who writes the state's checks, is refusing to comply and says his computers can't handle it anyway.

"Other governors have had the advantage of having consequences, but over the years the courts have taken away the consequences," Merksamer said. "He's putting pressure on these guys, and I think it's a good card to play."

But lawmakers said his tactics have fallen short.

Sen. Darrell Steinberg, the incoming Senate president, said Schwarzenegger's latest threat was "not constructive."

"We need the governor to help solve the problem – not to make threats," said Steinberg, D-Sacramento.

Republicans and Democrats remain divided over how to resolve a $15.2 billion budget shortfall. Democrats want some tax increases and seem favorable toward a plan floated by Schwarzenegger to raise the state sales tax by 1 cent for three years in exchange for a long-term change in the budget process.

Republicans oppose tax increases and want a long-term cap on spending. Some suggest they would rather borrow than approve tax hikes.

Schwarzenegger did not deny Wednesday that he floated a tax increase during weekend budget talks despite earlier campaign promises to oppose any tax hike. He appeared to say he would rather have a temporary tax increase than borrow money.

"I think that one has to look at all the options, obviously," he said about a tax hike. "And I think it is important to not go in the direction of borrowing again."

Call Kevin Yamamura, Bee Capitol Bureau, (916) 326-5548. Dan Smith and Aurelio Rojas of the Bee Capitol Bureau contributed to this report.