Texas House Tentatively Approves $3 Billion Plan

APRIL CASTRO

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Texas House has tentatively adopted a $3.3 billion plan to help state agencies cover unexpected costs in the 2-year-old state budget, including $300 million to restore the Hurricane Ike-ravaged University of Texas Medical Center in Galveston.

The supplemental budget, which is expected to get final House approval before being sent to the Senate on Friday, is being used to close out the 2008-2009 budget period, which ends in August. The $178 billion budget for 2010-2011 is on the House agenda for Friday.

The measure, approved Thursday by a 141-5 vote, depends heavily on federal stimulus money, including $1.6 billion to help cover rising Medicaid costs.

"I think that, as we pass this bill, it's important that we acknowledge why we are able to have this bill on the floor today," said Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth. "This supplemental appropriations bill would not have been possible in its present form had President Barack Obama and the Congress not passed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act."

The Texas Education Agency would get almost $769 million in federal stimulus money for textbooks and $221 million for technology. More than $660 million is slated for the Texas Department of Transportation for highway and bridge construction.