The state House sent a proposed $53.3 billion budget for the coming fiscal year to the Senate on Tuesday — the earliest it has initially passed a spending plan in nearly a decade.

The plan passed this week by the Democratic-controlled House has virtually no chance of making it through the Republican-led Senate and to Gov. Josh Shapiro’s desk as-is. But lawmakers, who have failed to pass a budget on time in 14 of the past 22 years, are at least moving the budget process forward earlier than usual.

“I’m actually going to praise what I believe is the intent of the majority party at this time,” House Minority Leader Jesse Topper, R-Bedford County, said in remarks on the House floor.

While Topper ultimately voted against the proposed spending plan, he said, “I think the intent of the majority party is to show that there is a path for an on-time budget this year, and I appreciate that.”

Last year’s budget impasse dragged on for 135 days, stopping billions of dollars in state funding from flowing to schools, counties and nonprofits across Pennsylvania.

“What this shows is the Senate, as well as taxpayers and voters at home, know what the House is doing and what the House can pass. Now it’s up to the Senate to show us what they can pass,” House Appropriations Chairman Jordan Harris, D-Philadelphia, said in a phone interview.

The budget passed the House on a 107-94 vote, with support from all Democrats and five Republicans.

It was the earliest the House had initially approved a budget since April 4, 2017, when the then-GOP-controlled chamber advanced a $31.5 billion plan on a 114-84 vote. Lawmakers would ultimately agree on a $32 billion plan. Last year, the House first passed a proposed budget in mid-July — two weeks after the state’s constitutionally mandated June 30 deadline to adopt a spending plan. Lawmakers wouldn’t reach a final budget agreement until Nov. 12.

The plan approved this week in the House mirrors the record $53.3 billion budget proposed by Shapiro in February.

The governor’s plan proposed using nearly $4.6 billion, or more than half, of the state’s largest reserve fund to balance. It also factors in receiving new revenue from legalizing marijuana for adult recreational use and taxing and regulating video gaming terminals that have become ubiquitous at bars, convenience stores, fraternal clubs and elsewhere.

The Legislature has yet to reach agreements on those two measures.

“We continue to have profound concerns about the level of spending in the budget proposed by Gov. Shapiro and passed by the House,” Senate President Pro Tempore Kim Ward, Senate Majority Leader Joe Pittman and Senate Appropriations Chairman Scott Martin said in a joint statement.

“Moving a budget plan forward is an important step in the budget process, but much work remains to reach a final agreement which respects taxpayers both now and in the future,” the senators added. “We will continue to fight for a more fiscally responsible spending plan.”

The Senate is back in session Monday.

Coventry, R.I. – According to police, over the past several months, detectives with the Coventry Police Department’s Special Operations Unit initiated a narcotics investigation into a drug trafficking organization operating in and around the Town of Coventry. Through extensive surveillance and investigative efforts, detectives identified 33-year-old Richard Martin Jr., of Beach Street, Coventry, R.I., as the primary target of the investigation.

During the course of the investigation, multiple associates were identified, along with additional residences, located within the City of Warwick, frequently utilized by Martin Jr. and his associates.

On April 6th, detectives from the Coventry Police Department, in conjunction with detectives from the Warwick Police Department, executed multiple court-authorized search warrants in an effort to dismantle the organization.

During the course of a search warrant in Coventry, detectives, along with K9 Nixo, located approximately 1.8 pounds of suspected cocaine concealed within a sophisticated vehicle hide. Additionally, a 9mm handgun, a large sum of cash, along with packaging and weighing materials consistent with drug trafficking, were recovered from the residence.

As a result of the investigation, Martin Jr. has been charged with two counts of Possession with Intent to Deliver a Controlled Substance, Use of a Firearm While Committing a Crime of Violence, and Controlled Substance Conspiracy.

Additionally, 40-year-old Jason Tallo, of Warwick, R.I., an alleged narcotics trafficking accomplice of Martin Jr., was taken into custody in the Town of Coventry and was subsequently charged with Controlled Substance Conspiracy.

Martin Jr. and Tallo were transported to Kent County District Court, where they were arraigned on their respective charges before a 3rd District Court judge. Martin Jr. was subsequently ordered to be held without bail, while Tallo had his bail set at $25,000 with surety.

This investigation remains ongoing and additional arrests are expected

Updated at 5:34 p.m.

Grand Isle County’s top prosecutor Douglas DiSabito was cited Tuesday for drunken driving after he was allegedly intoxicated in a St. Albans courthouse, according to the St. Albans Police Department. 

Police received a call around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday alerting officers to respond to Franklin County Superior Court in St. Albans “for a report of a person in the building who may be under the influence of alcohol,” according to a department press release. 

Officers then made contact with Grand Isle County State’s Attorney DiSabito and after “subsequent investigation” arrested him for driving under the influence of alcohol, the release said. 

DiSabito is set to appear in court on May 4, according to the release.

The 57-year-old from Alburgh was first elected to lead the prosecutor’s office in 2014 and has won re-election without facing challengers in every election since then, according to the Vermont Secretary of State’s website. DiSabito has said he is running again for re-election in November. Earlier this week he said he would seek both Democratic and Republican nominations, according to WCAX. 

DiSabito recently said he wanted the state to pass stricter bail laws, and he thinks the judiciary isn’t doing enough to combat what he sees as a lack of respect for judicial proceedings, according to the Bennington Banner. 

“It’s unfortunate for Grand Isle and for law enforcement,” said Gov. Phil Scott at his weekly press conference Wednesday. 

DiSabito did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday. 

Tim Lueders-Dumont, executive director of the Department of State’s Attorneys and Sheriffs, said his department is standing ready to support the county, though he was not yet sure if anyone would take over some of DiSabito’s cases.

“He’s still state’s attorney, he still has his law license,” Lueders-Dumont said. 

Lueders-Dumont said he didn’t know which prosecutor would bring the drunken driving case against DiSabito. He declined to comment on the arrest, saying the department doesn’t comment on ongoing criminal matters. 

DiSabito’s arrest comes two years after a state prosecutor in Addison County was similarly arrested for drunken driving.