Senate Kills Two Budget Proposals Leaving $17 Million Gap

Two bills proposed by the governor to fill general revenue budget holes died in a Senate committee Tuesday. The failure now leaves about a $17 million gap for the Finance Committee Chairs to plug at the end of session.

Subcommittees of Senate Transportation and Infrastructure held the two bills without making a decision for almost a month.

The first, Senate Bill 329, would take about $4 million from the state Special Railroad and Intermodal Enhancement Fund and deposit them instead in the general revenue budget for Fiscal Years 2015 and 2016.

The subcommittee reported the bill back with the recommendation it do not pass and the bill died.

A second subcommittee took up Senate Bill 334 which takes about $13 million for the same two fiscal years from the State Road Fund and also puts the money into the general revenue budget.

That money comes from sales taxes levied on construction and maintenance material used specifically for highway projects.

The bill received no recommendation from the subcommittee, was defeated on a voice vote and also died.