AUSTIN _ Property tax relief for homeowners, pay raises for teachers, and cash for private school tuition are among state leaders' priorities packed into a $338 billion spending bill that won final passage Saturday in the Texas Legislature.
"This is a very responsible budget that meets the needs of our rapidly growing state," said House Appropriations Chair Greg Bonnen, R-Friendswood. "It prioritizes public education, tax relief, public safety and infrastructure, and improving taxpayer services for individuals and businesses. It also makes key investments to maintain Texas' economic competitiveness."
The budget for the next spending cycle - which lasts from Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2027 - includes $150 billion in state tax spending and $100 billion in federal funds.
The Senate passed the final bill on a vote of 31-0. The House passed it 107-21.
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The new budget comes after a year of planning and hundreds of hours of testimony over several months from state agencies, their employees and the people they serve. It culminates in a 1,054-page tome outlining how the state will fund the business of governing 30 million Texans over the next two years.
Abbott has until June 22 to veto individual items in the budget. It is the only legislation for which the Republican governor has line-item veto powers.