Legislature approves temporary spending plan

RALEIGH The Senate decided to avoid controversy with the House and agreed Tuesday by a vote of 35-13 to accept changes by the House to the "continuing resolution."

Gov. Beverly Perdue signed it into law Tuesday afternoon.

The stopgap spending measure directs Perdue and state agencies to spend at levels no more than 85 percent of what was allocated in the past year's budget.

The Senate accepted the House measure even though it allows just two weeks to work out the final agreement. The Senate wanted no expiration date.