Alabama's legislators are scrambling this week to come up with a funding solution that would allow them to appropriate an additional $200 million to Medicaid in the FY2013 budget.

Reflecting increased state tax revenues in recent months due to an improving economy, the bill provides $50 million for the Accountability Block Grants used by school districts for kindergarten and pre-school programs. The accountability grants were zeroed out in Corbett's proposal.

An increase in jobs the past 12 months will bolster state income tax receipts.

With fewer than two months before the state budget is due, Gov. Chris Christie said he wants the state Legislature to deliver laws changing the tenure system for public school teachers in a way that will result in decreased taxes for New Jersey residents.

Iowa's three regents universities would receive $545 million if Branstad signs the legislation, which is $23 million more than the institutions got this year.

The budget also closes a projected $200 million deficit in the current year and does not raise taxes beyond those that were raised last year in the largest tax increase in state history.

A map and chart ranking Medicaid spending for each of the 50 states in FY2010.

Gov. Jan Brewer signed into law an $8.6 billion budget for next fiscal year that includes increases for certain education, public-safety and health programs but also puts $450 million into a "rainy-day fund."

In all, the Legislature approved more than $1.67 billion in spending, in areas as diverse as higher education, prisons, economic development and agriculture. The total budget for the new year is expected to come in at $6.24 billion.

The state House of Representatives approved a $20.5 billion budget deal early Tuesday that would increase spending by $143 million in the next fiscal year, address a growing deficit and boost aid to cities and towns.

The $7.7 billion General Fund budget for FY 2012-13 represents a 6.4 increase over this year's spending. But Colorado's budget continues to face significant challenges. In spite of inflation and population growth, the General Fund available for expenditure in FY 2012-13 remains essentially flat when compared with FY 2007-08.

Gov. Nathan Deal signed a $19.3 billion state spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year Monday, but not before using his line-item veto to cut several projects added by legislators in the final month of the 2012 session.

The stalemate appeared likely to make the budget talks bump up against a May 11 constitutional deadline to send a budget to Gov. Jay Nixon. Missouri's new budget year begins July 1.

Gov. Bob McDonnell submitted $43.9 million in amendments about two hours before his midnight Friday deadline. He made 88 changes in all, some of them highly technical, some of them directing more funds to education, economic development and scientific research.

Complicating a complicated situation, the Illinois constitution forbids revoking pension benefits, but health care isn't included, supposedly, so the governor hopes to skirt the constitution by offering retirees a Hobson's choice - accept the new plan with the cuts or keep the old system but lose your health care.

Lawmakers, facing financial troubles in 2010, passed a biennial budget that defers this year's final check until the first day of the new fiscal year, helping balance the budget by transferring $72 million in personnel costs from one year to the next.

Gov. Martin O'Malley announced Friday that he will convene a special legislative session May 14 to complete work on a budget that left the state with $512 million in cuts.

Indiana's state tax collections are now slightly ahead of projections for the budget year after a big revenue jump during April.

More than half of U.S. states expect to end their budget years with a surplus of cash as a recovery in the economy buoyed tax collections.

The state House and Senate today gave final approval to an $11.2 billion state budget and a $3.2 billion capital improvement project outlay.