Lawmakers Pass New State Budget

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INDIANAPOLIS  — Indiana lawmakers approved a new state budget Wednesday as they wrapped up this year’s legislative session.

The House and Senate party-line votes came as Republicans touted the spending plan as a responsible one that makes strides toward improving the state’s lagging teacher pay while protecting the state in case of an economic downturn by maintaining its $2 billion in cash reserves.

The Republican spending plan increases base school funding by 2.5% each of the next two years. But Democrats and some education advocacy groups criticized it as not doing enough to help schools while shortchanging needed programs, such as subsidies to adoptive parents and youth suicide prevention programs.

An analysis provided by Democrats shows the GOP spending plan increases traditional school funding by about 2% a year, while charter schools will see 10% more money and private school voucher funding goes up 9% the first budget year and about 5.5% the second year.

Another provision in the budget deal trims $70 million from Holcomb’s request for an additional $572 million over the next two years toward allowing the state’s troubled Department of Child Services to keep hundreds of new caseworkers.

Budget writers say the lower funding level is possible because growth in the agency’s expenses has slowed.