SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Democratic lawmakers on Friday approved a plan to balance California's $15.7 billion deficit without Gov. Jerry Brown's endorsement so they can keep collecting their paychecks.

The Senate passed the main budget bill, which has fewer welfare cuts than the governor proposed, on a 23-16 vote. The Assembly later passed the measure on a 50-25 vote.

In introducing the Democratic spending plan, Senate Budget Committee Chairman Mark Leno of San Francisco called it "a budget which is painful yet hopeful, sobering yet with vision."