The Senate appropriations committee approved legislation Tuesday that will keep state government running if a budget is not passed by June 30.
The bill would let state government spend money at 85 percent of the budget for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30. Committee members held an impromptu meeting clustered together on the Senate floor during a break in the floor session.
The meeting signaled to lawmakers, lobbyists and the rest of the capital crowd that legislators are getting closer to acknowledging that they don't think they will have next year's budget ready on time.
Sen. Linda Garrou, a Winston-Salem Democrat and co-chair of appropriations, said the bill, called a continuing resolution, is a back up plan. Senate leaders remain hopeful they can meet the June 30 deadline.
Update: The Senate voted in favor of the bill. It now heads to the House.
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