Budget Passes the Senate

In a late-night session, the Senate Republicans pushed through their irresponsible budget last night.

The budget severely underfunds many of our state’s most important services, including those that provide home heating assistance to low-income families during winter and programs that provide children with health insurance. In addition, the GOP budget proposal underfunds our colleges and universities by $32 million.

During debate on the measure, Democrats presented a series of amendments that sought to restore funding to some of these important programs, however on most of these amendments they were rebuked. Democrats were successful in reinstating more than $30 million in federal funds to help our rural hospitals upgrade their technology.

Democratic Senator Mitch Tropilla was able to convince a few Republicans to reinstate just $34,000 to school for the deaf and blind. Immediately after this money was reinstated, Republicans took a break from debate to caucus. While in caucus, Republican leaders attempted to strong-arm their colleagues to make sure they rejected the restoration of any further funds and put party affiliation over the needs of important institutions such as the school for the deaf and blind.

The budget received initial approval from the Senate by a 27-23 vote, with Sen. Hinkle, a Republican, voting with the Democrats because he felt too much money had been restored to vital services.

The budget now faces a final vote in the Senate, before the House and Senate begin to work out the differences between their two versions.