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LESS THAN A WEEK
AWAY... LAWMAKERS
ARE BACK AT THE
STATE CAPITOL THIS
MID-DAY TRYING TO
HAMMER-OUT A
LAST-MINUTE BUDGET
DEAL. WHILE THE
HOUSE AND SENATE
ARE IN RECESS THIS
WEEK... LEADERS
FROM BOTH SIDES
ARE MEETING
UNOFFICIALLY TO TRY
AND REACH A
COMPROMISE BEFORE
THE END OF THE
LEGISLATIVE SESSION.
W-K-Y-T's MARK
BARBER IS IN
FRANKFORT WITH THE
LATEST.
MARK INTRO:
The budget talks fell
apart last week but
today lawmakers are
coming back together
to continue their
budget negotiations.
Senate president
Robert Stivers says he
and House Speaker
Greg Stumbo are
meeting with other
members of the
budget committee this
afternoon to try to
reach an agreement.
VO:
Lawmakers can only
meet for one more
work day in the
legislative session that
ends on April 15.
If they are going to
pass a budget, Stivers
says they have to agree
on the state's two year
spending plan before
they meet for their
final work day.
The sticking point in
the budget battle has
been Governor Matt
Bevin's proposed cuts
to public colleges and
universities.
The Republican
majority Senate says
the cuts are needed to
start paying off billions
in state pension debt.
The Democrat
controlled House is
concerned the
education cuts will hurt
state schools.
So who will budge on
the budget?
Stivers thinks the
House will compromise
on the higher
education cuts.
SOT
""There are multiple
meetings set today
between differing
members, individual
members and
leadership that are
scheduled through late
afternoon."
MARK TAG:
If the House and the
Senate don't pass a
budget by the end of
the General Assembly,
the governor could call
a special session that
would drain the state's
reserve funds of tens of
thousands of dollars a
day.
A partial government
shutdown will be
triggered if a budget
isn't passed by June
30th.
In Frankfort, Mark
Barber, WKYT.
HOUSE SPEAKER
STUMBO COULD NOT
BE REACHED FOR
COMMENT. BEVIN'S
CUTS WOULD IMPOSE
A NINE PERCENT CUT
ON HIGHER
EDUCATION OVER THE
NEXT TWO FISCAL
YEARS.
THROUGH EXECUTIVE
ORDER, BEVIN
SLASHED FUNDING BY
FOUR AND A HALF
PERCENT LAST WEEK.
HUNDREDS OF STATE
EMPLOYEES IN