”We have made repeated requests for an honest and open budgetary process and for the budget measures to be in print for 48 hours, to allow public review,” Sen. Bill Emmerson, R-Redlands, said in a statement. “We can't in good conscience vote for bills we have not seen.”

◼ California: Democrats moving on budget without governor's OK - Juliet Williams/The Associated Press/Times-Standard

Democrats in the state Legislature held committee hearings on the California budget a day before the constitutional deadline to approve it, despite ongoing disagreements with Gov. Jerry Brown over their plan to make smaller welfare cuts to help balance a $15.7 billion deficit.

Republican lawmakers, whose votes are not needed to approve the budget, boycotted a Senate Budget Committee hearing Thursday, complaining that negotiations were being held in secret and they had not been given any time to review the budget bills, most of which were published online in the morning.

”We have made repeated requests for an honest and open budgetary process and for the budget measures to be in print for 48 hours, to allow public review,” Sen. Bill Emmerson, R-Redlands, said in a statement. “We can't in good conscience vote for bills we have not seen.”

Democrats passed the main budget bills out of committee without GOP votes Thursday.