HARRISBURG — A final version of the $27.2 billion state spending plan that is two weeks late received unanimous approval from a joint House-Senate committee Sunday night, a necessary step before it goes to both chambers for approval.

Votes in the full House and Senate were expected today, but possibly not before a noon deadline that state Treasury officials have said is necessary to guarantee on-time Friday paychecks for 24,000 state employees deemed "noncritical."

"We're going to do everything possible to meet the regular and expected payroll date," said Keith Welks, the acting deputy treasurer for fiscal operations.

To speed the bill's approval, House Democratic leader Bill DeWeese of Greene County said members may suspend a rule that would bar a final vote for another 24 hours. The Senate has a six-hour rule and planned to vote on the budget when members returned at 9 a.m. today, Senate Republican leader Dominic Pileggi of Delaware County said.

The budget has been under wraps for the past six days as Rendell and legislative leaders made final decisions on program funding levels. Broad agreement was reached Monday night as part of a wider deal to end the one-day furlough of 24,000 employees and a shutdown of "nonessential" services.

Rendell, a Democrat, won major increases in funding for pre-kindergarten programs in public schools, computers in public high schools and services for children of low-income families, the mentally retarded and disabled. Republican legislators touted their success in blocking higher taxes and fees and slowing the rate of increase in state spending.

The $27.2 billion budget represents an increase of 3.2 percent over spending in the fiscal year that ended June 30, with large increases for public schools, prisons, state employee pensions and public welfare programs. The increase would be 4.4 percent counting about $300 million in mass transit subsidies being diverted to a special fund for transit.

The chambers planned to vote today on a separate bill that represents a roughly 20 percent increase in state funding for highways, bridges and mass transit over the next decade.

The plan relies on borrowing by the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission until a 25 percent turnpike toll increase in 2009 and newly placed tolls on Interstate 80 pick up the burden. Turnpike tolls would rise 3 percent annually after 2009. However, federal approval is required to add tolls to I-80.