Newsroom

Watson pushes for 1 week review of state budget

Friday, January 14, 2011
by Karina King
Your News Now

Sen. Kirk Watson, D-Austin, is urging lawmakers to let themselves and the public have one week to review the final version of the state budget before the bill goes up for vote.

The 82nd Legislative Session starts up Tuesday, and lawmakers will be faced with overcoming a over $20 billion budget shortfall.

Watson's getting bipartisan support for his proposal from two major policy groups in town, the Center for Public Policy Priority and the Texas Public Policy Foundation.

"People recognize that the public ought to have a minimum of five days to look at what the legislature takes five months to put together, but only at the very end rushes it through," Sen. Watson said.

Watson has criticized the state comptroller for not giving quarterly reports on the budget.
Those numbers are expected to be announced Monday.

Both chambers of the legislature will adopt their own set of rules for the session Tuesday.

Watch the video here.