Yesterday the House appropriations committee amended and approved the chair’s 2015-17 budget proposal. Amendments reduced the proposed spending by $7.9 million, to a total of $38.959 billion NGFS+. The Senate ways and means committee is considering its chair’s proposal today.

Below is a chart comparing the policy changes that are made by the Senate, as proposed by the W&M chair, and by the House, as passed by appropriations. It does not include the $2.0 billion policy reduction for I-1351 because both proposals include the change and it skews the numbers significantly. Including I-1351, net policy changes are negative $171.1 million in the House and negative $1.2 billion in the Senate. Excluding I-1351, net policy changes are positive $1.9 billion in the House and positive $863 million in the Senate.

Much of the difference between the Senate and the House in public schools and special appropriations is compensation related.