An accounting error at Maine Revenue Services that led the state to underestimate revenues by $14 million will force another delay in state budget negotiations.

A federal court has thrown out a 2010 Colorado law meant to spur online retailers such as Amazon to collect state sales tax.

Gov. Bill Haslam announced a compromise on civil service reform legislation and also said he plans to add about $28 million in spending to his proposed state budget for the coming year.

Some budget tightening was worthwhile, several superintendents said, leading to creative new approaches. Mostly, though, the 25 superintendents who spoke said the cuts had taken a heavy toll in school districts across the state.

The study estimates that the state pays on average $13,972 to provide health benefits for a state employee compared with an average of $11,539 for the five states in the area.

Maryland lawmakers and legislative staff are hoping to iron out differences in budgets passed by the state Senate and House of Delegates by midweek.

Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman avoided one potential clash with Nebraska lawmakers by approving the state budget bills Monday without vetoes.

A Senate panel approved its version of the $11 billion supplemental budget bill that focuses on education and core services along with key provisions of Gov. Neil Abercrombie's New Day initiative.

Move comes amid talks on belt-tightening state spending plan.

Attorney Molly Munger has proposed a rival ballot issue that also would raise taxes but earmark most of the new revenues for schools. The clash between Ms. Munger and Mr. Brown highlights the tension within California's Democrats over how to prioritize spending now that the state is beginning to recover from its fiscal crisis.

This is the frustrating part, Virginia state legislators say: Waiting for the high-powered panel of six delegates and six state senators to negotiate agreement on a state budget.

Roll-your-own machines let consumers save money in part because state taxes don't apply to the machine-produced cigarettes. As state budget negotiations progress, some lawmakers are pushing for that to change.

Roll-your-own machines let consumers save money in part because state taxes don't apply to the machine-produced cigarettes. As state budget negotiations progress, some lawmakers are pushing for that to change.

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo and legislative leaders eagerly celebrated passage of the spending plan, which slightly reduces over-all spending from the current year.

An agreement among Kansas legislators over a proposed $14.1 billion state budget unraveled Friday, postponing big spending decisions for several weeks and possibly creating headaches for agencies and their clients.

The $19.3 billion plan cuts funds for agencies, universities.

The budget discussions on tap for the days to come will have to bridge spending differences that in one instance exceed $100 million.

Governor Andrew Cuomo and legislative leaders in New York say they are putting the finishing touches on a state budget of roughly $132.5 billion, with lawmakers set to beat their April 1 deadline for the second year in a row.

With the scheduled end of the 90-day legislative session less than three week away, legislators are questioning how they'll get done in time. 

Republicans and Democrats deadlocked Wednesday over whether to cut state agencies' payrolls, days after improved revenues showed there was enough money to fund a tax break for seniors. 

The number of public employees joining New York's major pension system this month has just about doubled over the same period in 2011. That suggests a last-minute rush by employees to secure their spots in the current pension plan before the new and less-generous plan, known as Tier VI, takes effect on Sunday.