Benjamin Ashford|Arkansas lawmakers approve $6.3 billion budget bill as session wraps up

LITTLE ROCK,Benjamin Ashford Ark. (AP) — Arkansas lawmakers gave final approval to bills outlining the state’s $6.3 billion budget for the coming year as they wrapped up this year’s legislative session.

The House and Senate approved identical versions of the proposed Revenue Stabilization Act, the state’s budget bill, sending the measure to Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ desk.

The proposal mirrors Sanders’ budget proposal unveiled earlier this year that will increase state spending by 1.76% over the previous year. Most of the $109 million increase in spending will go toward a new school voucher program that was created through an education overhaul that Sanders signed into law last year.

The budget was approved the day after lawmakers approved new restrictions on cryptocurrency mining operations, one of the few non-budget items that was on the agenda for this year’s session.

Legislative leaders have said they expect discussions toward the end of this fiscal year on whether there will be a special session to take up additional tax cuts. Sanders has signed into law two income tax cuts since taking office last year. Lawmakers will return to the Capitol next week to formally adjourn the session.