Indiana House budget leader expects plan next week

The leader of the budget-writing committee in the Indiana House expects to present a revised version of a state spending plan next week.

The House Ways and Means Committee began taking public testimony Monday about the two-year state budget plan after four weeks of hearings with state agencies and universities.

Republican committee Chairman Jeff Espich of Uniondale says the panel will hear from other state agencies and more public testimony this week. He has said he expects the panel will make only modest changes to the budget proposal from Gov. Mitch Daniels.

The governor's plan would cut higher education spending by 3 percent and eliminate some Medicaid services to help balance the budget without raising taxes. Funding for public schools would remain unchanged.