Announces Senate Finance Committee Assignments
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Since the state budget especially in these trying times is the Legislatures #1 priority I asked the Legislative Budget Board to distribute the Senate version of the budget (SB1) as early as possible as soon as it could be printed said Lt. Governor Dewhurst. I have asked the Senators to study the base budget this week so our Senate Finance Committee can start work as soon as possible" Dewhurst said today as he appointed the Members of the Senate Finance Committee & joined Chairman Steve Ogden in unveiling the Senates 2012-13 state budget.
Senate Bill 1 the General Appropriations Act filed today provides funding of $73.8 billion in General Revenue a 10.1-percent reduction from the Fiscal Year 2010-11 base and $79.7 billion in General Revenue and General Revenue-Dedicated funds a 9.9-percent reduction from the Fiscal Year 2010-11 base.
SB 1
does not assume use of the Rainy Day Fund and is within Available Revenue based on the Comptrollers revenue estimate and actions to be taken to reduce expenditures in 2011.
Today Lt. Governor Dewhurst reappointed Senator Steve Ogden as Chairman of the
Senate Finance Committee and Senator Juan Chuy Hinojosa as Vice-Chairman. He also made the following assignments to the Committee:
- Senator Bob Deuell
Senator Robert Duncan- Senator Kevin Eltife
- Senator Craig Estes
- Senator Eddie Lucio Jr.
- Senator Jane Nelson
- Senator Dan Patrick
- Senator Kel Seliger
- Senator Florence Shapiro
- Senator Royce West
- Senator John Whitmire
- Senator Tommy Williams and
- Senator Judith Zaffirini.
To use our time efficiently this week I have asked the Senate to take up SB 14 Voter ID to protect the integrity of our elections process said Lt. Governor Dewhurst.
Next week I plan to bring up a resolution calling on Congress to convene a constitutional convention to pass a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution. I believe Congress must reduce spending and live within its means just like the rest of us Texans do.
