Ohio Senate OKs budget bill - Business First of Columbus:

xeconatyxex.blogspot.com
In a 20-11 vote along party lines, the Senatre approved a budget that calls for morethan $113 billion in state spending over the two-year period beginning July 1. That is nearlu $1 billion less than the budget approved earlier bythe Democrat-controllee House. “This budget protects funds basic services and puts seniors andchildren first,” said state Sen. John R-Wellston, chairman of the Senate’s Finance and Financiapl Institutions Committee. Senate Republican leaders their budget planMay 29. The bill passe d Wednesday was consistent with that version and remains at odds on many issue with the one approved by House Democrats.
Differences between the bills will need to be reconcile d by a House and Senate conference committere in thecoming weeks. The legislature needse to present a balanced budgetfor Gov. Ted Strickland’s signature by a June 30 deadline. Complicating the budger process is thatthe House-Senate conference committee is expectes to receive updated state revenue estimatesx from Gov. Ted Strickland’s administration that are likely to require additionalk cuts to the budget passed bythe Senate. The final version of the Senatwe bill contained an amendment that protectes Ohio hospitals from beintg hurt by a new franchise fee called for inthe House-passedr budget bill.
Designed to allow the statw to receiveapproximately $1.7 billion in matching federakl funds for Ohio’s Medicaid health-carer program for the poor, the franchisew fee would have cost hospitals an estimated $333 million over the two-yeafr budget cycle. The Senate bill retains the franchise fee but returnsz all the assessment dollarsto hospitals, the That would be done through a 5 percen t Medicaid payment increase for hospitals, higher paymentse for hospital-owned home health services and potentially increase payments for ambulance and hospice services owned by the The other big amendment in the bill would open stats parkland to drilling for oil and natural gas.
Revenue from well leasews would be used to maintain and improvestatd parks.