This Week in Texas: April 24, 2013

Posted May 1, 2013 in The Mignon Memo

Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus have announced the Senate and House appointees to the conference committee for Senate Bill 1, the budget for the next biennium.  The Senate conferees are Sen. Tommy Williams(R-The
Woodlands); Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa (D-McAllen); Sen. Robert Duncan (R-Lubbock); Sen. Jane Nelson (R-Flower Mound); and Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston).  The House conferees as Rep. Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie); Rep. John Otto (R-Dayton); Rep. Myra Crownover (R-Denton); Rep. Sylvester Turner (D-Houston); and Rep. John Zerwas (R-Houston).

The Texas Senate unanimously approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would ask voters to approve taking $5.7 billion from the state’s Rainy Day Fund to help finance the state’s water and transportation needs and provide additional funds for public education. SJR 1 would allocate $800 million for public education; $2 billion for water projects in the State Water Plan; and $2.9 billion for transportation projects.  SJR 1 must obtain approval from the Texas House before it goes to voters.