Pa. House back to work on budget

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — The Pennsylvania House is working to wrap up budget season votes, a day after grinding to a halt over a critical education bill.

The Republican-controlled chamber returned to session today, two days from the annual deadline, hoping to send Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf the last of the bills that together make up a $34 billion compromise budget package.

A protracted standoff isn’t likely, as the main budget bill and most other needed legislation are already headed to Wolf.

The education bill failed late Thursday, when dozens of Republicans joined nearly all Democrats in voting against it, but for different reasons.

Some Republicans objected to lowering the mandatory start of school from age 8 to 6.

Democrats want career and technical education bills to be part of the deal.