RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Senate approved late Monday a budget-adjustment measure that is stripped down and spends less compared to similar legislation advanced by their House GOP counterparts last week.
Still, the two chambers’ plans agree on allocating $487 million in public money for programs that help K-12 students attend private schools and eliminate a large combined program waiting list. Most of the money would go toward the, which saw a dramatic increase in applicants for this fall because family income limits for recipients were eliminated last year.
There’s no threat of a government shutdown without an agreement. The state would operate on the $30.9 billion allocated for the second year in the current budget law. But a budget stalemate could threaten passage of voucher and child care spending provisions sought by many parents and businesses and that otherwise enjoy widespread support among Republicans.