DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Legislative leaders say they have a tentative budget agreement that could enable them to adjourn within days.
Republican House Speaker Kraig Paulsen and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal said Friday they had reached an understanding. They declined to provide details on the overall spending level or on individual items, like education, saying that information would be released next week.
The leaders in the divided Legislature reached the terms after roughly five hours of negotiations Friday. They have been haggling for weeks since their daily expense payments ran out May 1.
Gronstal said he expected that the Legislature could adjourn next week. He said Democrats chose “compromise over gridlock.”
Paulsen said the agreement “meets the needs and priorities of Iowans.”
