The latest budget news from The Texas Tribune.
This week in the Texas Weekly Newsreel: Only a few days remain in the 83rd legislative session, and everything is up in the air — including whether lawmakers will come back for more when the session ends on Monday. Full Story
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A fee paid by millions of Texans and businesses on their electric bills would be abolished in September under a deal made Friday, the Senate's budget writer said. The fee goes to a fund that helps low-income Texans with their utility bills. Full Story
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With three days before the end of the legislative session, Gov. Rick Perry has revealed his opposition to one portion of a bill considered critical to a budget deal forged between the House and Senate. Full Story
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The clock is ticking for lawmakers hard at work to pass prize bills in the final days of the 83rd legislative session. Here's a look at what's still outstanding. Check back often: We'll update this story as deals are brokered or broken. Full Story
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The budget deal that took a step closer to passage Wednesday evening would spend $3.9 billion from the state's Rainy Day Fund. That would leave more in the fund than many lawmakers or Gov. Rick Perry had earlier proposed. Full Story
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UPDATED: After days of jockeying and one-upsmanship, the Texas House and Senate each approved measures Wednesday evening critical to passing their next two-year budget. Full Story
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The Senate raised the bar Tuesday evening in its standoff with the lower chamber by tying the provisions in a major franchise tax relief bill to key legislation being held up in the House. Full Story
The public doesn't closely follow legislative debates over the budget, but sometimes those budget debates line up pretty accurately with public opinion. Full Story
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UPDATED: Despite looming deadlines, the House postponed on Monday a vote on Senate Joint Resolution 1, which would allow voters to decide whether to set up a fund for water infrastructure projects. Full Story
On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: A look at how quickly things can change in the waning days of a Texas legislative session. Full Story
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After days of negotiations, House and Senate representatives agreed to a budget plan that would add roughly $4 billion in extra funding for public education. It also paves the way for a $2 billion fund for water infrastructure projects. Full Story
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The proposed state budget would increase state judge's base salaries by 12 percent — and would do the same thing to state legislators' pensions. Check out the added benefit by member. Full Story
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UPDATED: Half a day after Senate budget leaders said the contours of a budget deal were in place, confusion and uncertainty reigned in the Capitol as key negotiators argued over competing proposals. Full Story
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UPDATED: The cancellation of two key committee hearings Thursday put into clear focus that budget negotiations, believed to be nearly done just two days earlier, remained ongoing. Full Story
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On the latest Agenda Texas, from KUT News and the Tribune: Several twists and turns marked Thursday's budget negotiations, and major sticking points remain. Full Story
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UPDATED: Budget negotiations stretched late into the evening on Wednesday, but lawmakers said privately they didn’t expect to announce a deal until Thursday. Full Story
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With less than two weeks before the end of the 83rd legislative session, efforts to find more funding for the Texas Department of Transportation are sputtering. Full Story
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State lawmakers would spend $3.2 billion for public education and $2 billion for water funding under plans being worked out by budget leaders, House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts said Tuesday. Full Story
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Tax relief has become a key issue in the final weeks of the legislative session, and nearly all of the relief efforts are focused on the franchise tax paid by businesses. Use our interactive to track the status of those bills. Full Story
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In the waning days of budget negotiations, medical providers are pushing lawmakers to raise Medicaid reimbursement rates that were chopped two years ago. Full Story
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