House Considering $337.4 Billion Budget On Floor

The full Texas House of Representatives on Thursday will get its first crack at the state’s two-year, $337.4 billion budget as drafted by the Senate.

This session’s budget includes property tax cuts, pay raises for teachers, border security and a new private school voucher program.

Approving a state budget is the Legislature’s only constitutional duty. The Senate approved its draft of the budget last month, and sent it to the House; the House’s own budget was referred to the House Appropriations Committee but has not been heard.

Debate on the proposed budget, Senate Bill 1, is expected to last hours and cover hundreds of proposed amendments, the Dallas Morning News reported.

One amendment that had been scheduled is one that would cap the total amount of money that can be spent on the state’s voucher proposal, which has been a priority for Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.

The proposed budget includes $1 billion in the 2026-2027 school year to establish a voucher program, which would use state money to help pay for private school tuition.

The House Public Education Committee’s substitute version of the Senate voucher bill would cap the budget for the voucher program at $1 billion in its first year, but would not cap spending on the program after that.

But that amendment, which had been proposed by Austin Democratic Rep. Donna Howard, on Wednesday said that she would withdraw that amendment in favor of trying to amend the House’s voucher proposal directly, which does not include the cap that the substitute Senate version has.

This is a developing story. It will be updated with more information.