Legislature Sends $209.4 Billion Budget to Abbott
Texas lawmakers in both chambers on Friday overwhelmingly approved a $209.4 billion two-year budget, a 3.6 percent increase over the current one. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Full Story
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Texas lawmakers in both chambers on Friday overwhelmingly approved a $209.4 billion two-year budget, a 3.6 percent increase over the current one. It now heads to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Full Story
Budget writers have added some last-minute cash for the Alamo, in large part to ensure the state holds on to a collection of Alamo artifacts from British music legend Phil Collins. Full Story
The Texas Senate voted unanimously Tuesday to pass a $564.6 million bill that plugs holes in the current budget and shores up the health care plan for retired teachers. Full Story
In a 136-1 vote, the House favored Senate Bill 1, which would raise the homestead exemption from $15,000 to $25,000 if voters approve an amendment to the state Constitution in November. Full Story
Top House and Senate negotiators sealed up the final unresolved issues on a two-year budget deal on Thursday evening, including removing controversial language that would have killed a proposed Dallas-Houston bullet train. Full Story
The House and Senate stepped closer to a final deal on a two-year budget Wednesday evening, settling dozens of differences between the two chambers including funding for public education and border security. Full Story
House and Senate leaders are in the midst of intense negotiations over a budget rider that could kill a proposed $12 billion bullet train project connecting Dallas and Houston. Full Story
With two weeks left in the legislative session, here are a couple of takes on the state of play on taxes and the budget, the only piece of legislation that must be passed. Full Story
Amid a series of scandals, most lawmakers say they want to reform the way Texas hands out billions in state contracts. Discussion has narrowed to a handful of bills that some warn are merely first steps. Full Story
The House's tax writing committee on Tuesday took up the Senate's proposal to cut property taxes by raising homeowners' residential homestead exemption. But what transpired on Tuesday was far from a kumbaya moment. Full Story
The Legislature's two chambers are still not on the same page when it comes to figuring out how to extend tax relief. The prognosis on whether they find room to compromise varies as well. Full Story
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has named the Senate lineup of budget negotiators who will meet with House counterparts and hash out a final version of the two-year state budget. Full Story
For all the talk about undocumented immigrants qualifying for in-state tuition at Texas colleges and universities, it turns out that these students make up a very small portion of the college-going population. Full Story
The Texas Senate on Wednesday tentatively approved a measure to partially consolidate the state’s massive health and human services system. Full Story
The Texas Senate passed out a state budget plan Tuesday that spends $211 billion over the next two years. The budget debate on the Senate floor contrasted greatly with the marathon budget debate in the House two weeks ago. Full Story
Senators on Tuesday voted 30-1 to approve the state's two-year budget. It will now go to conference committee to be reconciled with the House version. Full Story
Republicans leery of granting more eminent domain authority acted to fast-track to nowhere a proposed high-speed rail line between Houston and Dallas. Full Story
Senate Finance Chairwoman Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound, said she expected the Senate version of the budget to be debated by the full Senate next week, “probably Tuesday.” Full Story
State regulations are unnecessarily holding up funds for shelters and programs that help victims of family violence, state Sen. Jane Nelson says. She wants to loosen the rules, even as she leads the charge to tighten other state contracting procedures. Full Story
It took more than 17 hours, but the House gave preliminary OK to a budget. Anticipated fights over vouchers and in-state tuition for undocumented students failed to materialize. Full Story