Last Wednesday the Senate overwhelmingly approved a supplemental budget proposal that is projected to balance over four years and prioritizes education without raising taxes.

Since this is the first time in six years that we have entered session without a budget deficit hanging over our heads, we were able to propose a true supplemental budget. It is after all the purpose of a short session – to make minor adjustments and fixes to the two-year state operating budget approved in 2013.

The Senate spending plan focuses on STEM – science, technology, engineering, and math. It fully-funds school districts’ instructional technology costs with $38 million for K-12 classroom technology, enabling schools to invest in upgrades that best fit their needs.

Higher education gets the biggest overall budget increase with $44 million focused on students, not institutions. Plus, tuition rates remain frozen for the next school year.

The Senate’s budget proposal now moves to the House of Representatives for consideration where representatives are expected to propose their own plan before the two chambers reach final agreement.