House Set To Finish Consideration, Vote On Budget
AUSTIN (AP) -- They've covered education and health care services for the poor, but the Texas House is ready to slog through every other state agency before voting on the next state budget.
They're scheduled to come back late Sunday afternoon to finish discussion of prisons, highways, courts and a myriad of other state agencies, all facing stiff cuts.
In a marathon 15-hour debate, the Republican-led House agreed to staggering cuts Friday to the biggest parts of the state budget.
The proposal is $23 billion less than the amount spent in state and federal funds in the existing two-year budget.
Public education faces historic cutbacks.
The House plan underfunds Medicaid, which provides health care to the poor and disabled, by more than $4 billion.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
