Late last night, the Conference Committee presented a revised budget to the Senate. This joint version allocates $1,500,000 in 2010-2011 for 4-year-old Kindergarten start-up grants. This is a change from both the Senate and Assembly versions of the budget. The joint version also limits the total number of hours a child can receive child care under Wisconsin Shares to 12 hours per day. Some exceptions can be made- with proper documentation- to extend this limit up to 16 hours per day. This section remained from the Senate version of the budget.

Because no amendments are allowed at this stage in the process, the new budget passed quickly throught the Senate with a vote of 17-15. The Assembly is expected to vote on the conference committee version of the budget tonight around 8:30pm. The newest version of the budget, along with a comparison with the original Senate and Assembly versions, can be viewed here.

If the budget passes through the Assembly, it will be sent to Governor Doyle. He can then use his partial veto power to change any section he would like. To overturn any change made, the Legislature needs two-thirds of its members to vote against it.