LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska lawmakers have endorsed a funding boost for college and university facilities, behavioral health programs and the state's beleaguered prison system.
Lawmakers granted first-round approval to a pair of budget proposals Tuesday.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Heath Mello of Omaha says the $8.7 billion budget package fulfills state obligations and invests in long-term projects. The plan would allow new construction on levee systems surrounding Offutt Air Force Base and provide $1.5 million for pay increases at the short-staffed Department of Correctional Services.
Sen. Bill Kintner of Papillion says the number of smaller spending items tucked into the budget concerns him. He says the state continues to overspend.
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Senators will vote twice more on the proposals before they go to Gov. Pete Ricketts.
Copyright 2016. The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.