Update: The Budget Discussion Continues

Update: Well it’s been over an hour—without any sign of slowing down—but otherwise, the plan appears to be the same.

We’re getting closer to the exciting moment when House Appropriations Chair Jim Pitts, R-Waxahachie, will take questions on the draft budget he sent to members last night. The budget has drastic cuts to education and various health care programs among other things. But hopefully no one has any lengthy questions. This entire discussion will likely stay under an hour.

Because Pitts technically is not the Appropriations chair for this session—the speaker of the House has yet to even name committees. Rather, Pitts was the chair last session and, unless aliens take over, he’ll be named chair of the committee yet again. But because this draft budget hasn’t gone through committee, it’s a bit of an awkward technical manuever to discuss it on the floor of the House. 

So according to one very good source, Pitts will wait until the session has gavelled out and then begin his explanation. The whole thing won’t take more than an hour, my source says. He can’t stay much longer.