By Lindsay Street, Statehouse correspondent | When the Senate goes to debate the state budget at mid-month, the $9.3 billion document will not be much different from the one passed by the House, according to staff.
The Senate Finance Committee wrapped up budget deliberations Thursday. Its version of the budget will be printed next week prior to the floor debate, which is expected to begin April 15.
The biggest differences between the Senate and earlier-passed House version of the budget appear to be the Senate’s $11 million increase to base-student cost for K-12 education, a smaller pay raise for judges (from 33 percent proposed in the House down to 15 percent), a one-time $600 bonus for state employees making less than $70,000 per year, and a change in how the state would issue rebates from an unexpected lottery windfall.
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