BATON ROUGE — The Louisiana House on Thursday approved a $47 billion state budget for the next fiscal year and sent the financial blueprint to the Senate.

The bill passed 104-0. Lawmakers also passed the state's construction budget, along with funding for the Legislature and the judicial branch of government.

For the first time since 2009, the budget increases per-pupil funding for school districts' operational needs from $100 to $147 per student for expenses including fuel, insurance, utilities and retirement costs. The budget also includes $87 million for the LA GATOR scholarship program, which offers families education savings accounts.

The budget provides $125 million to Louisiana Economic Development for new projects and programs attracting private industry investment. It also includes $50 million to replenish a fund to face future emergencies such as hurricanes and a $144 million surplus payment to LASERS to pay down state retirement debt.

The regular session must end by 6 p.m. on June 1.