MOVEMENT ON THE BUDGET!

We are very pleased to report that the Senate Finance Committee met today and unanimously reported out its versions of the both the amendments to the 2010-2012 biennial budget, SB 1300, and the 2012-2014 budget, SB 1301. With a few exceptions, these budgets are identical to Senate Bills 29 and 30 previously reported by the Committee, but which died on the Senate floor. Of particular interest to school boards is that the Committee adopted amendments to its previously adopted SB 30 that would increase funds going to K-12 by approximately $55 million. Because the budget bills received a unanimous vote of the Committee, versus the 9-6 party line vote the first time around, it is reasonable to assume that the full Senate will vote in favor of the bills and that they will be sent to House, which will reject the bills so that they can go into conference. The General Assembly is scheduled to meet in special session again next Monday, March 26, and these votes by the Senate and the House could take place then. If that is the case, it is entirely reasonable to assume that we will have a state budget by the time of the veto session, which will take place on April 18.