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.
Economy
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
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.
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Economy
Trial Balloons
The ideas on what to do with the state budget are getting weirder and weirder.
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Criminal Justice
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.