State budget revisions that restore funding to public charter schools and cut fees for hospitals and other struggling Ohio businesses have been approved by the Ohio Senate.
In a 20-11 vote, the Republican-led Senate approved its version of the $53 billion spending blueprint Wednesday. The vote came after futile attempts by minority Democrats to reinsert the governor's education reforms and his calls for expanded public health insurance.
The Senate complained Strickland's evidence-based model for funding schools is unworkable, too expensive and plagued with questions. The Democrat-led Ohio House had refined and supported Strickland's plan.
The bill's next stop will be a conference committee that will seek to work out a compromise.