House stays focused on budget cuts

Working late into the evening, the House yesterday passed the third bill in a four-part package of early budget cuts and efficiencies.

Senate bill 6382 extends a freeze on state employee salaries, out-of-state travel, and other costs at least through June 30, 2011. Without last night's vote, the freeze would have expired February 18th.

The House has already passed two other early-action budget measures over to the Senate. The first. HB 2921, is expected to be approved by the Senate today and sent on to the Governor. The second, HB 2998, will ban salary bonuses to state employees.

The final bill of the package is SB 6503, a measure requiring all state employees to take unpaid leave several times a year. That one is expected to clear the House Ways and Means committee this afternoon and head to the floor early next week.