HARRISBURG, Pa. - Most Pennsylvania lawmakers were absent from the state Capitol on Tuesday, five days into the new budget year without a state government spending agreement in place.Leaders were hoping negotiations would wrap up over the coming days and the House announced voting sessions were scheduled through Friday.Thursday "might be a strong possibility for a lot of budget action," a spokesperson for the majority Republicans in the state Senate told reporters in a Tuesday morning email update.
Erica Clayton Wright, press secretary for Majority Leader Kim Ward, R-Westmoreland, said that could change "based on discussions and staff preparations."PREVIOUS: Pennsylvania to begin fiscal year without a budgetThe state House, whose schedule is also controlled by majority Republicans, planned to return to session Wednesday afternoon and also posted public notice of floor sessions to start Thursday and Friday mornings.
Senators also will return to the Capitol on Wednesday evening.Clayton Wright said "'steady progress' has been made and there are no new items to report on directly."Senate Democratic Leader Jay Costa of Allegheny County said work was continuing.MORE LOCAL HEADLINES"There's still some issues that need to be ironed out," Costa said Tuesday afternoon. "It may take a little bit of time to do that."Discussions about what is expected to be a roughly $42 billion spending plan have centered on a proposal for additional outlays for public schools that is backed by Democratic Gov.