Amendments defeated so far include attempts to remove money for additional judges and block implementation of nationwide education standards for math and reading.

Nixon said the state could have nearly $300 million more money than previously anticipated as lawmakers put together budget plans, including slightly better than expected overall tax revenues and changes in caseloads for Medicaid and other services related to the current fiscal year.

Iowa's Republican governor, Terry Branstad, boasted how he balanced the state's budget without raising taxes and is getting calls from California businesses looking to move.

Backed by Gov. O'Malley and Democrats, the $264 million tax package raises taxes and averts spending cuts.

Only 27 states have devoted all their funds from the banks to housing programs, according to a report by Enterprise Community Partners, a national affordable housing group. So far about 15 states have said they will use all or most of the money for other purposes.

The $25 billion budget proposal passed by the House for next year contains $268 million less in state funding than what was sought by Gov. Bobby Jindal.

Just over six weeks remain until Pennsylvania's budget is due and still no deal has been reached.

Gov. Paul LePage today signed a revised state budget bill that eliminates health care coverage for more than 20,000 people, cuts prescription drug coverage for senior citizens and reduces funding for Head Start.

Union officials say they have grown weary of Quinn's efforts to rally business leaders behind his ideas and his use of agency directors and state government resources to argue that basic state government functions will suffer unless something is done about pensions.

The Senate budget represents a 3.7 percent increase from projected spending for this fiscal year.