By LARRY O'DELL
Associated Press
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - The Virginia Senate has failed to pass revisions to the current state budget, foreshadowing likely rejection of the state's next 2-year spending plan.
The so-called "caboose" budget, which makes spending adjustments for the fiscal year that ends June 30, failed Thursday on a 20-19 vote in the evenly divided Senate. Twenty-one votes are required to pass the budget.
Next up for the Senate is a vote on the next $85 billion budget. Democrats want more seats on committees and co-chairmanship of the powerful Finance Committee in exchange for their support on the budget. Republicans, who organized as a majority with the help of a tie-breaking vote by Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling when the session began, so far have refused.
The House of Delegates passed its version of the budget 79-21.
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