RALEIGH, N.C.  – The state Senate has approved a stopgap spending measure for North Carolina state government if budget negotiations with the House don’t wrap up before July 1.

The Senate agreed Tuesday to approve a so-called “continuing resolution” to allow government to keep operating past the end of June without a final budget in place.

The bill now goes to the House for consideration.

It tells Gov. Beverly Perdue to keep spending levels at no more than 85 percent of what was allocated in the past year’s budget because lawmakers are reducing spending due to declining tax collections.

The temporary spending plan is unusual because there is no expiration date. And the Senate rolled out the “resolution” early – a week before the fiscal year ends.