Nevada Assembly, Senate pass budget bills

Nevada Assembly, Senate, begin passing budget bills signaling end of 2013 session is in sight.

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- Most of the five budget bills have cleared the first house in the Nevada Legislature, signaling the end of the 2013 legislative session is near.

The Assembly on Sunday approved the state worker salary bill, a measure that restores 2.5 percent in pay cuts but retains six furlough days each of the next two years.

Assembly members also approved a $2 billion general fund appropriations bill and a separate measure for capital improvements. Those bills now go to the Senate.

Senators, meanwhile, approved SB521, a bill setting overall authorized spending limits for state agencies including fees and federal dollars.

Final action on those bills, however, will not take place until after the Legislature passes the Distributive School Account that sets funding for K-12 education.

Lawmakers must adjourn by midnight Monday.