First Texas House Budget Bill Leaves $5.5B Unspent

By: Associated Press

Posted: Mon 2:36 PM, Jan 14, 2013

AUSTIN, Texas -- The chief budget writer of the Texas House says the first budget bill filed by the chamber will leave $5.5 billion in unspent projected revenue on the table.

House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts on Monday said the $89.1 billion budget draft covers enrollment growth in public schools. But Pitts made makes no mention of restoring the $5.4 billion that lawmakers cut from classrooms in 2011.

The bill also gives no money to the state's embattled $3 billion cancer-fighting agency that is currently under criminal investigation.

Pitts said the bill will be filed Tuesday. The Texas Senate was expected to unveil its budget bill later Monday.

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First Texas House Budget Bill Leaves $5.5B Unspent

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