LINCOLN- Senators debated well into the evening Thursday before giving first-round approval to a $9.7 billion, two-year state budget. Senators advanced the main budget bills with no dissenting votes after making only one $900,000-per-year change in the Appropriations Committee proposal. The vote came after a intense day of conversation about legislative priorities and politics.

The package leaves about $210 million for other legislative priorities, while beefing up the state’s rainy day fund by transferring $100 million into the fund. The infusion of money would put the cash reserve fund at an estimated $763 million by June 30, 2023, or about 14.2% of state revenue.

Major items in the budget include almost $90 million allocated over the two years to give 2% annual increases in payment rates for health and human services providers, and about $37 million for a 2% annual boost in support of the University of Nebraska. In the only change to the budget, Sen. Mike Flood of Norfolk convinced lawmakers to boost the amount of grant funding available to creative districts to $1 million a year. The committee had included $100,000 a year for such grants.

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