A Senate committee has scheduled an April 23 hearing on fiscal 2010 budget legislation, but House and Senate leaders said they have yet to come to an agreement on the proposal itself.

Senate President Bob Burns said the hearing was scheduled so lawmakers will be prepared to move quickly if they are able to come to an agreement that enough members will support. He said members will be briefed this week on a proposal that balances the state's budget without increasing taxes or securitizing future state revenue.

"We have a proposal that is a balanced budget, and so we are going to be discussing that with our members," Burns said. "It's not necessarily an agreement. It's just a proposal. This is what we hope we will be able to work through as a starting point and it could change, probably will change."

House Speaker Kirk Adams said he plans to "ramp up" the process of speaking with GOP lawmakers this week. He, too, said there was no definitive agreement among legislative leaders.

"I wouldn't characterize it that we have an agreement on the budget. We do have a list of available options to fill the remaining hole that we're going to continue to work with the membership on."

Neither Burns nor Adams would provide additional details on the budget proposal. A draft of budget options released last month still contained a $500 million shortfall.

The draft called for $840 million in cuts to spending from the state's general fund. It also raids $390 million from dedicated funds, using the money instead to bridge the general fund shortfall.

All told, the draft included changes that would have eliminated $2.6 billion of the state's deficit. The total budget deficit, according to the formula being used by Republican lawmakers, comes to roughly $2.9 billion. That figure, though, was based on the notion that $600 million in cuts made in fiscal 2009 would be extended to fiscal 2010.

The state's revenue collections continue to fall lower than projections, pushing the deficit estimate higher each month.

Lawmakers have been aware of the gap between spending and revenue since late last year, and much of the work so far this session has been related to the budget. But the Senate Appropriations Committee hearing on April 23 will be the first public debate on a budget outline for the upcoming fiscal year.

Sen. Jim Waring, a Phoenix Republican, said scheduling a date to hold a budget hearing will help "focus the attention."

"Do I think that indicates that we are getting closer? I do." Waring said.

Sen. Russell Pearce, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said a "tentative deal" has been struck, which makes it all the more important to move quickly.

"(If) you don't set a date, you don't work as hard to get there," he said.