A $19-Billion budget has been approved by the Legislature as House Republicans settle for only slight cuts to Medicaid. Senate budget negotiators rebuffed attempts to cut deeply into the program, a step House leaders insisted was necessary to curtail the programs growth. Senate negotiators did give in on payments to the state’s ethanol plants and pay for the State Highway Patrol. Investors in ethanol will receive $6-Million. The Patrol will get $17-Million in pay hikes the next three to five years.
