Facing a deadline to act on the state's fiscal crisis, lawmakers on Monday sent a handful of budget solutions to Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, but Democrats and the Republican governor remain divided on tax-related proposals.

But for now and for the foreseeable future, the Legislature cannot be diverted. It needs to focus on the budget. Every day that lawmakers delay is a day that California goes deeper into the red.

The Schwarzenegger administration has ordered senior state officials and purchasing managers to forget about buying new goods or services unless they're "vital and mission critical" to the government.

California faces a $19.9 billion deficit, but lawmakers and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have decided against trying to solve the problem in one February fell swoop. State leaders have held few serious negotiations so far, and legislators are girding for another summer budget battle.

Today's technically the last day of the emergency session on the state's fiscal woes.

Both houses have floor sessions on tap to take up a series of budget bills as part of the 45-day special session.