$65.4 billion Ohio budget bill clears Senate
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- The Ohio Senate on Wednesday passed a $65.4 billion two-year state budget after making more than 150 changes to the bill passed by the House, setting the stage for a week of behind-the-scenes maneuvers and compromises between the two chambers.
The Senate voted 24 to 8, largely along party lines, to approve the two-year budget. Akron Democrat Sen. Vernon Sykes abstained due to a conflict of interest.
The House later voted against the Senate's changes, sending the bill to a conference committee where Republicans and Democrats from both chambers will hammer out their differences.
The committee faces a looming June 30 deadline and a new set of state revenue projections about $1 billion less than January's estimates. Senate Republicans closed the anticipated $1 billion gap through cutting state agency spending across the board, eliminating with unspent funds and trimming Medicaid administration costs.
Read more: http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/06/654_billion_ohio_budget_bill_c.html