The ÃÛèÖÖ±²¥ Senate has passed a $10.4 billion state budget plan that provides more than $300 million in raises for many of the state's striking teachers after working all night.
The House was continuing to debate the budget package as sunrise approached Thursday morning but passage was assured.
The action came after a weeklong teachers' strike that shut down school for the great majority of the state's 1.1 million public school students. Strike leaders had called for an end to the walkout if the budget passed Wednesday. But a daylong delay led them to essentially extend it, and many school districts ended up canceling classes for a sixth straight day Thursday.
The Republican-controlled Legislature finally started debating the 10 bills making up the spending plan for the budget year starting July 1 after 8 p.m. Wednesday.
