HARRISBURG, Pa. -- Gov. Ed Rendell is calling for the Legislature to immediately return to the Capitol to finalize a key piece of the state budget, the legalization of table games in casinos.

Rendell made the request today, three weeks after he signed a major state appropriations bill that ended the 101-day budget stalemate but also relies partly on revenue from table games.

Rendell is still holding up more than $700 million in taxpayer dollars slated for Penn State and several other Pennsylvania universities until table games are approved.

Senate Republicans say there is no reason to hold up the schools' money. Leaders of the House Democratic majority say they hope to return to Harrisburg on Nov. 9 to pass a bill.

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