General Assembly
GOP-written bill wins Democrats support
NIKI KELLY | The Journal Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS – The $37.4 billion GOP biennial budget was so popular Thursday that even Democrats voted for it – passing 96-2 in the House and 46-3 in the Senate.
“This is a wow budget. This sets the table,” said Rep. Matt Lehman, R-Berne.
All 29 Democrats in the House supported the measure and eight out of 11 in the Senate. Every northeast Indiana lawmaker voted for it except for Goshen Republican Rep. Curt Nisly.
The spending plan gives K-12 schools nearly $2 billion in new education money – money that lawmakers hope school districts use to give teachers significant raises. Indiana educator pay lags the rest of the nation.
State GOP budget pleases some Democrats | Indiana
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Budget boosted by extra $2 billion | Local | The Journal Gazette
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Indiana s budgeted forecast shows rebounding economy
NIKI KELLY | The Journal Gazette
INDIANAPOLIS – Fiscal leaders got a pleasant surprise Thursday - $2 billion in new tax revenue for the biennial state budget under consideration.
The updated forecast shows the economy rebounding, which means lawmakers have more money to spend than was predicted in December.
House Ways and Means Chairman Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, says he has never seen such a substantial change in projected tax receipts this late in the budget-writing process. Legislators plan to finish their work next week.
“It is unique and amazing and exciting,” he said, noting he is getting a lot of phone calls, text messages and emails with ideas how to spend the cash.
(INDIANAPOLIS) The Senate has passed its version of a new state budget, setting up
negotiations on a final version.
Legislators receive an updated forecast Thursday of how much money the state will take in. But
while negotiators will adjust spending levels to reflect the new projection, the bulk of the remaining
work involves reconciling differences between the House and Senate spending plans.
Both budgets increase school funding a little more than one-percent in the first year of the two-
year budget, but the Senate version gives schools a little more money in the second year. The
House budget goes further than the Senate in expanding eligibility for Indiana’s school voucher