News Stories Archives - Texas Citizen Action Network

Special Session Is In Full Swing – Education Is Coming Up Short

June 3, 2011July 25, 2024

After Republicans finally reached agreement over the most contentious area of budget negotiations – education funding – Democrat Senator, Wendy Davis, successfully filibustered a key piece of legislation, SB 1811, and forced a special session. Governor Rick Perry called a special session on Monday, May 30. The special session began promptly at 8:00 a.m. the following morning and can last as long as 30 days. The first two items on the governor’s list are the non-revenue and school finance bill, SB 1811, and Medicaid reforms that were part of SB 23.

The Final Countdown – How Do Voters Feel About The Texas Budget Crisis?

May 26, 2011

It is down to the wire for the Texas Legislature to pass the budget for the next biennium, which ends this coming Monday, May 30. Texas lawmakers agreed to an $80.6 billion two-year spending plan on Saturday, May 21 when a 10-member conference committee, along with Lt. Governor Dewhurst and House Speaker Straus, compromised on the House and Senate budget plans.

The Clock Is Ticking On The House And Senate Budget Debate

May 13, 2011

The Texas Legislature is feeling the pressure of the looming deadlines imposed by the end of this legislative session on May 30. The only thing the Legislature must accomplish during regular session is passing the state budget, but that task seems to be the most difficult with a $15 billion-plus deficit and two very different budget plans from the House and Senate.

House Passes Redistricting Maps And The Senate Continues Budget Debate

April 29, 2011

After much deliberation that lasted into the early morning, the House passed its redistricting map around 3:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 28 with a 92-52 vote. In the other Texas chamber, the Senate Finance Committee is struggling to gain the necessary votes it needs to debate its budget plan on the Senate floor.

Senate Crafts Their Budget Proposal, Promising Not To Increase Taxes

April 20, 2011

Over the past few weeks, the Texas Legislature has been occupied with constructing a budget for 2012-2013 that will alleviate the current budget shortfalls and not cause problems in the future. The House passed their $164.5 billion budget on April 3, and meanwhile, the Senate has been diligently working to craft their less intense budget plan while upholding their promise not to raise taxes. The Senate budget is alleged to be close to $16 billion more than the House plan.

Texas House of Representatives Passes Budget Without Raising Taxes

April 15, 2011

On April 3, 2011 the Texas House of Representatives passed their budget for the 2012-2013 biennium. House Bill 1 is a $164.5 billion, two-year budget that reduces spending by 3.7 percent from general revenue and 9.7 percent overall, which is approximately $23 billion less than the current budget that ends August 31, 2011.