Hawaii House passes $10 billion state budget

HONOLULU

The Hawaii House of Representatives has approved a $10 billion state budget that aims to preserve services for the disadvantaged.

The House passed the budget unanimously Monday, sending it to the Senate for revisions.

Finance Committee Chairman Marcus Oshiro says the House's version of the budget gives priority to the poor, needy and elderly. The budget appropriates money for government employees to provide services to these populations.

The budget also makes available $50 million to end teacher furlough days at public schools, instead cutting education by increasing class sizes and laying off administrators.

The budget is intended to save money as the state faces a projected $1.2 billion deficit through June 2011.