The Alaska Senate passed its version of the state operating budget just three days after the House finalized its own.
Monday’s 16-4 Senate floor vote sets the stage for negotiations that are expected to take place before Fiscal Year 2017’s spending plan is finalized.
Senate Finance Committee co-chair Pete Kelly said in a release: “The intent of the Senate in accelerating the timeline was to clear the decks and allow time to discuss mechanisms that will not only cut the budget, but make it structurally smaller through statutory changes that will contain the growth of government well into the future.”
Legislators have also been reviewing bills intended to reduce costs within Alaska’s Medicaid program, the criminal justice system, and the state’s oil and gas tax credit program.
State provided operations face significant cuts as Alaska lawmakers struggle to close a $3.5 billion budget gap amid low oil prices.
The operating budget now heads back to the House for a vote of concurrence on the Senates changes.
If that vote fails, a conference committee will be appointed to work together on the budget.