Juneau -- The Senate Finance Committee reduced state spending Friday passing a $13.3 million supplemental bill. The bill shaves $3.5 million from the Legislature's 1999 spending plan and is $9 million less than the Governor's initial request.

"Our original spending plan included $16.5 million dollars for unanticipated and extraordinary expenses." Senator Sean Parnell (R-Anchorage), Senate Finance Co-Chair. "We were able to cut that by $3.3 million. This represents a significant step forward in meeting our targets for reduced state spending as we work to address our $1.2 billion fiscal gap."

"The Senate Finance version reduces the Governor's original proposal by more than $9 million," said Senator John Torgerson (R-Kasilof), Senate Finance Co-Chair. "In my memory, this is one of the lowest supplemental budgets that has been passed in recent years.

The full Senate will debate the Senate version of House Bill 100 on Saturday.