Indiana News

Finalized State Budget Expected Today

INDIANAPOLIS (WOWO): The specifics of a new state budget are expected today.

House and Senate leaders have pledged to give legislators 24 hours to look over the budget before a vote. With the session required to end tomorrow, that makes today the deadline, and House Speaker Brian Bosma says he expects a bill to be made public this afternoon. The House and Senate proposed about the same total spending, but had slightly different school funding formulas. And Bosma says they‘re still seeking agreement on closing a funding gap between charter schools and traditional public schools.

Governor Pence had sought a 15-hundred-dollar per pupil supplement to charter funding. The House converted that to a 20-million-dollar grant program, with a 15-hundred-dollar per pupil maximum, while the Senate proposed studying the issue until the next two-year budget. Bosma says he expects the budget to include some extra funding for charters, but not as much as Pence or House Republicans wanted.

Negotiators also must trim about 200-million dollars from their original budgets, to accommodate a revision in the state‘s economic forecast.

Related posts

Indiana Senate Chairman won’t hear any bills on increasing local food and beverage taxes

Caleb Hatch

Muncie man held in triple stabbing, arson

Dean Jackson

Council again overrides Henry’s Pay-to-Play veto

Darrin Wright