AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ The state budget process could soon be before Texas Senate and House negotiators after Senate Republicans rammed their two-year spending plan to passage, exploiting a loophole to bypass Democrats.
The Senate plan would make about $11 billion in cuts from the present budget, although the cuts are less drastic to those in the House’s austere $176.5 billion spending plan.
Wednesday’s vote came after a week of delay when Senate leaders used a procedural maneuver to get around a long-held Senate tradition that requires a two-thirds agreement for the chamber to consider any legislation. Senators voted 19-12, along party lines, to approve the plan.
The plan next goes back before the House, which is expected to reject the Senate version and appoint a conference committee to negotiate a compromise.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)