It’s 1 a.m. Do you know where your state budget is?

themisThe House has put the finishing touch on the 2015 legislative season, voting  the final piece of legislation that will kick off the next fiscal year in about 23 hours. The two-hour debate culminated in a 78-65 vote with 8 absent during a one-day special session. Two Democrats voted against the bill to implement the general government portion of the budget. At about 10 p.m., the Senate approved the bill 19-17, also with a couple of wayward Democrats.

Republicans led by House Minority Leader Themis Klarides, R-Derby, (left) criticized the hundreds of pages, including many items that appeared to have died on June 3, when the regular session ended, but came back to life.

“It’s kind of like making something really bad super bad,” she said.

“This budget provides real property tax relief for the middle class, protects vital services families rely on every day, and invests in Connecticut’s long-term economic future,” said Speaker of the House Brendan Sharkey, D-Hamden. “We listened to the concerns of our constituents and business community to make it work better for everyone in our state, and begin to set us on a more stable, equitable path going forward.”