DOVER, Del. (AP) - The Delaware Senate has approved a $4.27 billion operating budget for the fiscal year starting July 1.
The budget bill passed on a 19-1 vote Wednesday and now goes to the House.
The bill, which represents a 4 percent increase over this year's budget, includes $26 million for pay raises of $1,000 for most state employees and 2 percent for teachers.
It also includes millions more than Democratic Gov. John Carney proposed in areas including disability services, special education and school transportation.
Lawmakers also have filed a supplemental budget bill that would allocate $23 million for $500 employee bonuses, on top of the pay raises, and $11 million for one-time payments of $400 to retirees.
That would bring the spending increase over this year's budget to more than 5 percent.
