By Associated Press
Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Senate took another step Wednesday toward passing the state budgets in the closing days of the legislative session.
Two Senate budget committees approved the state General Fund and education budgets exactly as they were passed by the House. But the committee chairmen -- Hank Sanders and Roger Bedford -- say they will offer substitutes when they present the budgets to the full Senate on Tuesday. Republican senators said they fear they won't have adequate time to review the budget proposals before the Senate's Democratic majority passes them.
Bedford and Sanders say they are optimistic the Legislature will pass the budgets and pay raises for state employees and educators in the four meeting days remaining in the legislative session.
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