HARRISBURG — A high-ranking Pennsylvania state senator said today there's a deal "in principle" for a new state budget.

Senate Republican leader Dominic Pileggi made the announcement following a closed-door meeting with Democratic Gov. Ed Rendell and other legislative leaders in the state Capitol.

House Democratic leader Todd Eachus cautions that nothing's final until his rank-and-file members have the opportunity to weigh in on it.

Rendell is planning a mid-afternoon news conference on the topic.

The $28 billion spending plan would represent a less than 1 percent increase over the approved spending level in the nearly ended fiscal year.