Board sets state funding limit for next 2-year budget

Texas lawmakers will have just under $100 billion to use for the non-constitutional spending portion of state budget for fiscal years 2018-2019.

The 10-member Legislative Budget Board, which is charged with adopting a spending limit, met on Dec. 1 and accepted the figure of $99.897 billion recommended by Ursula Parks, director of the LBB. The amount is based on a projected growth rate of 8 percent in the state’s economy. The current 2016-2017 state budget for “non-dedicated” appropriations — funding that’s not mandated by the state constitution — is $92.5 billion.

Members of the Legislative Budget Board include co-chairs Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and House Speaker Joe Straus; state Sens. Kelly Hancock of North Richland Hills, Joan Huffman of Houston, Jane Nelson of Flower Mound and Larry Taylor of Friendswood; and state Reps. Dennis Bonnen of Angleton; Drew Darby of San Angelo, John Otto of Dayton, and John Zerwas of Richmond. All members of the board are Republicans.

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