The Latest: Louisiana Senate votes for $540 million in taxes

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - The Latest on Louisiana’s special session on taxes (all times local):

8:25 p.m.

Louisiana’s senators have agreed to about $540 million in taxes for the upcoming financial year, an amount that would prevent deep budget cuts.

Sunday night’s 29-9 vote for the centerpiece sales tax bill sets the parameters for final negotiations with the House over a tax and budget deal, as the special session reaches its final hours.

The two-week session was called by Gov. John Bel Edwards to fill a budget shortfall caused by temporary taxes expiring next month. The session must end Monday by midnight.

Lawmakers remain uncertain whether an agreement will be brokered before time runs out.

Senators passed two tax bills Sunday. The main one would renew half of an expiring 1 percent state sales tax, moving the tax rate to 4.5 percent July 1.

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7 p.m.

Louisiana’s senators have agreed to a $29 billion state operating budget, but they have yet to back the financing necessary to pay for it.

The spending plan for the fiscal year that begins July 1 would avoid worst-case scenario cuts discussed for months - if lawmakers support $540 million in taxes for next year.

Senators voted 38-1 Sunday for the budget proposal.

The House has backed $400 million in taxes. The Senate hasn’t yet voted on the major sales tax bill.

In the Senate’s budget, college campuses and the TOPS tuition program would be protected from reductions, along with major health programs and the child-welfare agency.

The special session appears headed into the final hours before Monday’s midnight deadline with lawmakers still trying to broker a tax and budget deal.