The Pennsylvania Senate approved the 27 billion dollar budget
The Pennsylvania Senate approved the 27 billion dollar budget (House Bill
1286) on a 49-1 vote on Wednesday, June 20. This budget proposal represents
a 2.7 percent increase in spending.
HB 1286 will now move to the House for action. If rejected by the House, a
committee of legislative leaders will meet with the Governor's representatives
in an attempt to reach a compromise before the July 1 deadline. This approved
bill in the Senate is 300 million dollars less than the bill sent to the Senate
by the House.
Two of the largest items left out of the Senate bill are 75 million for
pre-kindergarten and 70 million for the expansion of laptop computers for high
school programs.