New draft of NC state budget gives insights into legislators’ plans. Read it here.
The News & Observer has obtained a copy of a state budget draft ahead of a possible long-awaited vote this week by state lawmakers.
Republicans have kept budget details behind closed doors for months while negotiations between House and Senate Republican leaders on a range of issues dragged on throughout the summer, notably on whether to include controversial legislation to sanction the opening of four new casinos and legalize the use of video lottery terminals.
Now a $30 billion budget is expected to be voted on by the House. On Monday evening, The N&O obtained a 611-page draft that had been circulating among lawmakers.
The draft appeared to have been revised as recently as Monday afternoon. It wasn’t immediately clear if this version is the one that House Republicans expect to unveil as early as Tuesday and vote on as early as Wednesday.
The Senate and House, which both have Republican supermajorities that can override Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s vetoes, earlier this year released and passed separate budget versions that then must be reconciled.
The Senate pushed for the compromise version to include casinos, while the House said it did not have enough votes to pass the budget with casinos included.