As federal pandemic aid ends and sales tax revenues cool, analysts say it could constrain the Texas Legislature in coming years. But they don’t see an immediate budget crisis on the horizon.
budget
Posted in
Higher Education
Proposed Pell Grant cuts threaten college access for nearly 500,000 Texas college students
Proposals in the federal budget bill would cut the maximum Pell Grant award amount by $1,500 and take away eligibility for students enrolled less than half-time.
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Texas Legislature 2025
$8.5 billion school funding package passes Texas Senate
The legislation includes new pots of money for teacher raises and other school costs like insurance and transportation. It now heads to the House, where leaders say it will pass.
Posted in
Politics
John Cornyn says tax and spending bill must reimburse Texas $11 billion for border security
Texas Republicans are pushing the federal government to pay the state’s costs of Operation Lone Star, Gov. Greg’s Abbott’s border security initiative.
Posted in
Investigations
Texas lawmakers want to spend millions on Child ID kits. Experts say there’s no evidence they work.
Texas legislators slipped millions for child ID kits into a 1,000-page budget proposal. The move comes two years after they quietly cut funding for such kits following a ProPublica and Texas Tribune report that showed there’s no evidence they work.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Budget day in the House: Texas lawmakers approve $337 billion spending plan
Among the hundreds of amendments were ones that focused on school vouchers, the attorney general’s office and the Texas Lottery.
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Texas Legislature 2025
$337 billion, two-year budget gets Texas House approval
The lower chamber’s plan largely aligns with the Senate’s proposal and puts billions toward teacher pay, border security and property tax cuts.
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Texas Legislature 2025
Texas plans to spend $51 billion on property tax cuts. It may not be sustainable.
State budget watchers — and some Republicans — worry Texas is spending too much on property tax cuts.
Posted in
Economy
Sales tax receipts will be closely watched as Texas tracks economic jolt of tariffs
As the Texas House prepares to vote on the budget, officials and other experts monitor national policy and state tax revenue.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2025
Billions more for tax relief and border security under budget approved by Texas Senate
Next step will be action in the state House, where budget writers have different plans for distributing property tax help.