Senate panel adds millions to main budget bill

HELENA (AP) — A Senate panel considering Montana's main budget bill was adding millions of dollars to it in an effort to avoid state employee furloughs and layoffs

The Senate Finance and Claims Committee passed a slew of amendments to House Bill 2 Wednesday to add components of a $31 million supplemental appropriation bill that a House committee tabled last week.

House Bill 3 included $9 million in extra funding for public schools, $7 million for the Department of Corrections and $1.7 million for the Department of Justice.

The bill was requested by the governor to make up for low-budget estimates made last legislative session.

The committee is expected to take up more amendments throughout the day.

State Sens. Jonathan Windy Boy, D-Box Elder, and Kris Hansen, R-Havre, voted yes. Sen. John Brenden, R-Scobey, voted no.