Legislature To Reimburse Erath County For 'American Sniper' Trial
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AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas Legislature is reimbursing a North Texas county for costs incurred during the trial of a man who killed "American Sniper" author Chris Kyle and his friend.
The House on Thursday agreed to pay Erath County $500,000 for the high-profile trial of Eddie Ray Routh, convicted in February of murder for the 2013 double-slaying.
The expenditure was one of several tweaks the Senate made to a $300 million state budget that covers immediate costs. The measure now heads to the governor.
Also included now is $4.7 million for the University of Texas at Austin's Center for Economic Geology.
Earlier this month, a 4.0 magnitude earthquake in Johnson County marked the strongest quake ever detected in North Texas.
Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. John Otto said the funding "could not wait."
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