Tennessee lawmakers pass $38.5B spending plan

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers have signed off on a $38.5 billion spending plan for the upcoming fiscal year, which includes funding for providing Medicaid assistance to disabled children, pay hikes for correctional officers and boosting the state's rainy day account.

Lawmakers had been split on several key budget items, disagreeing over the best way to fund the $27.3 million so-called Katie Beckett program among other differences.

However, as of Tuesday, lawmakers had settled on a compromise and advanced the budget outline for fiscal year 2019-2020.

Tennessee is currently the only state in the United States that does not have a program offering coverage for children with significant disabilities living at home.

Meanwhile, correctional officers will receive a pay increase and the state's emergency funds will be boosted to $1.1 billion.