Posted: 4:22 PM Mar 22, 2012 Reporter: The Associated Press
The Mississippi House and Senate are working on separate budget proposals, but both would slightly increase the funding for public schools in the coming year.
There are some other differences in the ways the two chambers propose to pay for state government during the fiscal year that begins July 1.
The Senate wants to spend more than the House on paying off the state's long-term debt, while the House wants to spend more than the Senate on mental health.
The two chambers offer similar proposals to fund Medicaid.
Leaders are scheduled to negotiate final versions of the budget bills by late April.
The state-funded portion of the budget is expected to be about $5.6 billion, with much more money coming from federal sources.