The State Senate has approved an $18.8-Billion budget plan for the 2003 Fiscal Year, which begins July 1st. This plan now heads to a House-Senate conference committee which will aim to iron out the differences between this plan and the $19.4-Billion proposal passed by the House. A budget for the next Fiscal Year must be approved by May 10th – a week before the current legislative session comes to a close. The Senate-approved plan adds $220,400 to the proposal approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
