Texas House Committee Adopts Budget Proposal

APRIL CASTRO

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A Texas House committee approved a $178 billion state budget Tuesday, a 5 percent increase over the previous two-year budget but about $4 billion less than the Senate version.

The unanimous vote by the House Appropriations Committee moves the budget to the full House, where it is expected to be taken up late next week.

The budget includes about $11 billion in spending from the federal stimulus package. That federal boon has helped lawmakers deal with a projected shortfall between the amount of state revenue available and the spending needs they identified. ...