House proposes another budget plan

JACKSON — The Mississippi House is making another attempt to plug some holes in the current state budget.

The House passed a bill yesterday that proposes taking $79 million from financial reserves and putting it into several state programs, with the biggest chunk going to education.

The bill passed the Senate in a different form last month. The revised version returns to the Senate for more work.

Gov. Haley Barbour has cut $458.5 million out of what started as a nearly $6 billion state budget. State revenues have fallen short of expectations for 17 months in a row.

The fiscal year ends June 30.

The bill is Senate Bill 2688.