Budget Negotiators Agree on Education Funding
House and Senate negotiators agreed on spending on education, state salaries and benefits this morning and hope to have the final vote on the 2012-13 budget sometime this weekend. Full Story
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No Clear Signals on Budget, UT/TT Poll Finds
Voters still want lawmakers to cut the budget, but they still oppose the major cuts in education and health and human services that cutting the budget requires, according to the latest University of Texas/Texas Tribune Poll. Full Story
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Credit: Graphic by Todd Wiseman -
Anxious High School Seniors Await Word on College Grants
Thousands of Texas students have been forced to put their college plans on hold as the Legislature, working on the state budget, determines what level of funding there will be for TEXAS Grants, the state's principal financial aid program for financially needy college students. Full Story
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Credit: Muliadi Soenaryo -
The Budget: Where Everything Stands
Where did the time go? Texas legislators are a mere nine days away from the end of the session and still have to finish work on several bills to finish up their budget for the two-year period that starts September 1. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Budget Update: House Passes Key Fiscal Matters Bill
After days of debate, the House finally passed a key fiscal matters bill — Senate Bill 1811 — that raises necessary funds to balance the proposed budget. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Budget Stalls Over Education, Questions About Funding Sources
After a chaotic day of stops and starts and private meetings, Texas lawmakers don't have a budget deal yet. Unless key pieces of legislation are passed soon, lawmakers are almost guaranteed to be back this summer for a special session. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: Ogden- Special Session Likely
Senate Finance Chair Steve Ogden, R-Bryan, says there is still no consensus on education funding or SB 1811, a revenue bill that would balance the state budget. Meanwhile, GOP members of the House left a caucus meeting without divulging details of what they discussed and then the House postponed consideration of two fiscal bills critical to the budget until tomorrow. "So, we're stuck," Ogden said. Full Story
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Liveblog: Will House Take Up "Christmas Tree" Fiscal Bills?
State reps will try to hang a grab bag of amendments onto Senate Bills 1811 and 1581 — two critical pieces of legislation the House takes up today that could determine whether a budget is passed and a special session averted. Click here for our liveblog of the action. Full Story
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Credit: Illustration by Todd Wiseman -
Budget Update: Ogden Says They're Stuck; Straus Says They're Close
As of Wednesday afternoon, two powerful budget figures differed on the status of the budget process. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Budget Leaders: It's Up to the House
If the House doesn't pass legislation that adds $2.6 billion to state revenue with a mix of delayed payments, increased penalties, government efficiencies and the like, the state budget won't balance and a special session will probably be required, House and Senate leaders said today. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Combs Finds Another $1.2 Billion for Budget
Comptroller Susan Combs added $1.2 billion to her estimate of state revenues, making that much more money available to budget writers who are scrambling for cash. She said the state's income is up. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Conference Panel Approves Most of Budget
House and Senate negotiators have reached agreement on everything in the state budget except for public and higher education and a section of general provisions that can be used later to make sure the numbers in the budget balance. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Senate Votes $4 Billion From Rainy Day Fund for Deficit
The Texas Senate approved a $3.97 billion draw on the state's Rainy Day Fund to cover a deficit of the same size in the current budget, but not before rejecting efforts to add on a larger amount to help balance the 2012-13 budget. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Trial Balloons
The ideas on what to do with the state budget are getting weirder and weirder. Full Story
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TribWeek: In Case You Missed It
Aaronson on the latest attack on Planned Parenthood, Aguilar previews the sanctuary cities debate, Grissom on a death row inmate's unsuccessful appeal, Hamilton on the UT System's faculty "productivity" data dump, Philpott on the prospect of lawsuits over education cuts, Ramsey on puppies and other distractions, Ramshaw on a tobacco fight, my interview with the presidents of UT-Austin and Texas A&M, M. Smith on a former State Board of Ed member who may have violated state ethics law, Stiles interactively displays the effects of House redistricting and Tan on the Senate budget end game: The best of our best content from May 2 to 6, 2011. Full Story
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Video: The Week in Texas Politics Recap, May 2 to May 6
No time to follow all the happenings of the Texas Legislature? We've made it easier for you with our weekly recaps of the action under the dome. Full Story
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House Sets Budget Negotiating Rules
The House is sending its five budget conferees — Reps. Jim Pitts, John Otto, Sylvester Turner, John Zerwas and Myra Crownover — off to negotiate with the Senate, but they want to tie their hands on certain issues, instructing them on what's acceptable to add, subtract or leave alone when they talk with the other side. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich -
Video: Outside Groups, Ads Influence Senate Budget Debate
The Texas Senate passed a budget this week for the next biennium, but only after nearly suffering a meltdown. Senate Finance Chairman Steve Ogden has blamed some of the drama on the meddling of outside interest groups. Full Story
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Schools Consider Legal Action Over Budget Cuts
With school districts across the state passing belt-tightening budgets due to cuts expected at the Legislature, Ben Philpott of KUT News and the Tribune reports that some districts are gearing up for legal challenges. Full Story
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Credit: Todd Wiseman -
Procedural Move Allows GOP to Pass Senate Budget
The $176 billion budget was approved along party lines, with all 19 Republicans voting for it and all 12 Democrats voting against. Full Story
Credit: Bob Daemmrich
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