The Indiana Department of Child Services says it needs about $300 million more per year in funding than it got in the last state budget.

Hill did not appear in person Monday to request the increase from the State Budget Committee, which is gathering input before lawmakers write a new two-year budget.

Just over halfway through the year, total tax collections for Indiana are about $40 million behind the state's budget plan.

Veterans groups call the spending bill signed into law Thursday the "most veteran-friendly budget" in state history.

Indiana schools will receive more money per student as part of the 2017-19 state budget plan. Funding was also increased for private school vouchers.

The Republican-led Indiana General Assembly crafted a two-year state budget that spends about $32 billion.

The forecast delivered to the State Budget Committee projects about $200 million dollars than the forecast from December.

The budget passed the Senate 39-9 and now heads to conference committee, where House and Senate legislators will negotiate a final version.

Republicans rejected several attempts by Democrats Wednesday to increase pre-k funding.

The Senate GOP budget leaves out key priorities of Gov. Eric Holcomb's. But the Senate budget did include two Holcomb initiatives dismissed by the House.