OLYMPIA -- Both chambers are expected to vote on their respective 2015-17 operating budgets today.

Which means they almost certainly pass two very different spending plans, because neither budget chairman is likely to bring a bill to the floor without the votes needed to pass it. Odds are that the House Democrats budget will pass with few if any Republican votes, and the Senate Republicans will pick up few if any Democratic votes.

But that allows the Legislature to move to the next part of the process, closed door negotiations between the leaders and top budget writers of each house. 

Coverage of the floor debates to come.

UPDATE 3:House passed its budget 51-47. Senate is debating a rule change that would require a 60 percent approval of any amendment to the budget before actually debating the budget. Could be a long night in that chamber.

UPDATE 2: House began debate about 2:15 p.m.

UPDATE 1: As of 1:15 p.m., neither chamber had started debate on its budget, but amendments were stacking up like planes over O'Hare. At that time, the Senate had 54 amendments, the House had 32 amendments, although 13 were eventually withdrawn.

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