The State Senate on Wednesday passed the $7.54 billion dollar budget bill that appropriates funding for state agencies for next fiscal year. "I believe that we have been very fiscally responsible by the populations that we serve," said Republican Senator Kim David of Porter. "And while this may be the largest budget that we have every passed, we also have the largest population that we have ever had in the state." David is chair of the Senate Budget Committee. She says 51 percent of the state budget goes to education and a "big chunk" to health and human services. The bill now goes to the state House for consideration.