JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - The Latest on the Mississippi Legislature’s deadline for budget and bond bills (all times local):
9 p.m.
Mississippi is set to spend more money on education, health programs and foster care in the budget year that begins July 1.
Negotiators from the state House and Senate have agreed on most details of a roughly $6 billion state budget. They filed budget bills for most state agencies Saturday night.
The full House and Senate will start voting on budget and bond bills Sunday.
Leaders agreed on a borrowing package of about $280 million. That includes a $20 million bond bill already signed by Gov. Phil Bryant. Negotiators agreed Saturday to $50 million in bonds for local bridges, $82.5 million for universities, $25 million for community colleges and $45 million for state agencies and $45 million to help Ingalls Shipbuilding.
A late addition to a bond bill was $5 million for a National Guard armory in DeSoto County.
____
8:15 p.m.
Mississippi House and Senate leaders have agreed on a roughly $6 billion state budget and a borrowing package of nearly $255 million.
Negotiators filed final versions of budget and bond bills Saturday night. They were still working on a few budgets for the year that begins July 1, including one for education.
House Education Committee Chairman Richard Bennett, a Republican from Long Beach, says lawmakers are trying to put more money into the schools.
The bond package includes $50 million to replace some local bridges. It also has $82.5 million for universities, $25 million for community colleges, $40 million for the state Department of Finance and Administration and $45 million to help Ingalls Shipbuilding.
A late addition to a bond bill was $5 million for a National Guard armory in DeSoto County.
____
7:15 p.m.
Mississippi legislative leaders have agreed on most parts of a roughly $6 billion state budget for the year that begins July 1.
After a full day of work at the Capitol, negotiators were filing final versions of budget bills Saturday night for most state agencies.
Negotiators were still working on a few budgets, including one for elementary and secondary education.
House Education Committee Chairman Richard Bennett, a Republican from Long Beach, says lawmakers are trying to put more money into the schools.
The Department of Public Safety will receive a slight budget increase so it can hire medical examiners. House Speaker Pro Tempore Greg Snowden, a Republican from Meridian, says staffing shortages have caused delays in autopsies being done and death certificates being issued to families.
The full House and Senate will start considering budget bills Sunday.
____
12:06 p.m.
Top Mississippi lawmakers have agreed on a bond package of nearly $250 million to finance several projects.
Final versions of bond bills were being drafted ahead of a Saturday evening deadline.
The bond package includes $50 million to replace some local bridges. It also has $82.5 million for universities, $25 million for community colleges, $40 million for the state Department of Finance and Administration and $45 million to help Ingalls Shipbuilding.
The bond package would also provide money for loan programs - $5 million for small cities and counties, $1 million for sewer projects and $1 million for water projects.
Other legislators were negotiating Saturday on final details of a nearly $6 billion state budget for the year that begins July 1.
The three-month legislative session ends next week.
Copyright © 2018 The Washington Times, LLC.
The Washington Times Comment Policy
The Washington Times is switching its third-party commenting system from Disqus to Spot.IM. You will need to either create an account with Spot.im or if you wish to use your Disqus account look under the Conversation for the link "Have a Disqus Account?". Please read our
Comment Policy before commenting.