Lawmakers Pass $29.4 Billion Budget—Web Update

In the late hours of Monday night and the wee hours of Tuesday morning, the state Legislature passed a $29.4 billion budget for the 2010-2011 fiscal year, which begins on Thursday.

The budget passed the state Senate 21-19 with only four votes from Senate Democrats, the minimum necessary to pass the spending plan. All 17 Republicans voted in favor of the budget.

The vote margin had been previously agreed upon by both parties. The only last minute drama involved two Republican senators who wavered before deciding to vote for the budget.

The Assembly passed the measure by a 41-37 margin at about 1:15 a.m. Tuesday morning. Again, the parties had agreed to a deal in which the Democrats would supply just enough votes to pass the budget.

Gov. Chris Christie is scheduled to sign the budget in a ceremony Tuesday afternoon. 

The full text of both the Senate and the Assembly measures is available on the Legislature webpage, as is a summary of the budget.

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