Texas Legislature Begins its 83rd Session
By: Nick Ochsner
Updated: January 9, 2013
The 83rd Biennium of the Texas Legislature opened Tuesday as members of the House of Representatives and their families crowded into the House chamber to watch the occasion.
Legislators took their oaths promptly at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, to much applause and well wishes.
Amid the pomp and circumstance of opening day, lawmakers were also weighing major issues facing the state in the back of their minds.
A budget deficit left sent lawmakers cutting programs during the last biennium, which means there is plenty of use for the $101 Billion dollars the Texas Comptroller has estimated legislators have to spend.
Senator Robert Duncan from Lubbock said the extra money is badly needed.
"Every once in a while its not so bad to have a deficit so you can really evaluate priorities," he said of last session's budget woes. "I think now its really healthy that we can come back with a little bit better budget outlook to make sure we can solve the problems of this state."
Among those problems is solving school financing for rural districts.
Duncan said he does not expect lawmakers to take up the issue, though, until after the Texas Supreme Court rules on a bundle of lawsuits filed by hundreds of rural districts.
"I anticipate school finance will be solved in a special session," Duncan said.
In addition to school finance, Duncan said he expects lawmakers to spend part of the expected surplus on improving the state's water infrastructure.
That's something also on the top of Representative Charles Perry's list of things to-do.
Perry said the Comptroller's budget estimate was larger than he expected and said such a large figure comes as a blessing and a curse.
Stay with EverythingLubbock.com and KAMC News for more live coverage from Austin and the opening of the 83rd legislative session.
Legislators took their oaths promptly at 12:00 p.m. Tuesday, to much applause and well wishes.
Amid the pomp and circumstance of opening day, lawmakers were also weighing major issues facing the state in the back of their minds.
A budget deficit left sent lawmakers cutting programs during the last biennium, which means there is plenty of use for the $101 Billion dollars the Texas Comptroller has estimated legislators have to spend.
Senator Robert Duncan from Lubbock said the extra money is badly needed.
"Every once in a while its not so bad to have a deficit so you can really evaluate priorities," he said of last session's budget woes. "I think now its really healthy that we can come back with a little bit better budget outlook to make sure we can solve the problems of this state."
Among those problems is solving school financing for rural districts.
Duncan said he does not expect lawmakers to take up the issue, though, until after the Texas Supreme Court rules on a bundle of lawsuits filed by hundreds of rural districts.
"I anticipate school finance will be solved in a special session," Duncan said.
In addition to school finance, Duncan said he expects lawmakers to spend part of the expected surplus on improving the state's water infrastructure.
That's something also on the top of Representative Charles Perry's list of things to-do.
Perry said the Comptroller's budget estimate was larger than he expected and said such a large figure comes as a blessing and a curse.
Stay with EverythingLubbock.com and KAMC News for more live coverage from Austin and the opening of the 83rd legislative session.
