The Texas Senate unanimously passed Senate Bill 1 (SB 1), the state’s biannual budget on Tuesday.
The $250 billion bill would spend $117.9 billion of state general-purpose revenue. Back in January Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar released the Biennial Revenue Estimate, showing the state is projected to have $112.5 billion in revenue available for general-purpose spending during the 2022-23 biennium.
The chief budget writer, State Senator Jane Nelson, chairs the Senate Finance Committee. As she laid out the bill she spoke of the priorities she set out heading into this legislative session. “First and foremost that we would maintain our commitment to education.” Nelson told her senate colleagues. “Second, we would fight the coronavirus and keep Texas healthy. Third, we would strengthen public safety, and finally we would reignite our economy. This budget accomplishes those goals.”
After the passage of SB 1 Lt. Governor Dan Patrick released the following statement:
“When we began work on the budget last summer, we were facing the economic challenges brought about by the pandemic as well as the market problems that plagued our oil and gas industry. At that time, I committed to making sure that we kept our commitment to education and property tax cuts laid out in 2019 in House Bill 3. SB 1 does that. SB 1 also continues our long-standing support for infrastructure, law enforcement and health care, including mental health. Because the situation at our southern border has worsened because of the uncaring and wrong-headed policies of the Biden Administration, we will continue to maintain our commitment to border security to protect Texans, not only on the border but across the state.”
Also in question is how the state will spend the estimated $35-billion in federal COVID Rescue funding. This is one area that didn’t prevent State Senator Sarah Eckhardt from voting in favor of the budget, but in a statement she said she did have concerns. “This budget is heavily reliant on federal dollars that have not yet arrived, and the process by which that money will be allocated remains unclear. Now more than ever - a year into a public health crisis - we should be expanding Medicaid - but this budget contracts it.”