AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The Texas Senate has adopted the $182.2 billion state budget for 2010-2011.
The Senate voted 26-5 Wednesday to adopt the two-year budget, the most important bill lawmakers will consider during the five-month legislative session.
It uses about $11 billion in federal stimulus money, which helped address a shortfall between available state revenue and spending needs.
The federal money also makes it possible for lawmakers to leave a projected $9 billion balance in the state’s Rainy Day Fund.
Democratic critics of the budget expressed concern about measures in health and human services spending, including a provision that Ogden said was intended to prohibit state money from being spent on research that destroys human embryos.
The focus now turns to the House, which is working on a separate version of the budget.