Financing State Government Assignment

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Senate Research

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Dial 711 for Relay Calls

January 2017

A Guide to the

Budget Process in Texas

Budget 101:

Guide

to the

Budget Process

Texas

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Senate Research Center

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Acknowledgments We would like to thank the staff of the Legislative Budget Board and the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas for their assistance in revising Budget 101: A Guide to the Budget Process in Texas. Information provided by Legislative Budget Board staff and the comptroller’s staff was indispensable in writing and revising this document. For copies, please access the publication via the Internet at http://www.senate.texas.gov/src/index.htm.

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Preface

The purpose of Budget 101 is to provide a step-by-step explanation of the budget process in Texas. This document is designed to be a budget primer for new staff or for those unfamiliar with the budget process. An understanding of the material presented in this report will help staff respond to constituent questions, communicate with agencies, understand the impact and magnitude of the budget, and learn budget terminology. Budget 101 includes:

• a brief overview of the biennial budget process; • a description of the different offices and agencies involved in developing

the budget; • a discussion of strategic planning; and • a step-by-step explanation of what happens to the budget during the

legislative session. Also included is information on revenue sources for Texas government, information from the budget, and a glossary of terms. Other sources may also be helpful in understanding the budget process. Fiscal Size-up, a publication of the Legislative Budget Board, contains excellent descriptions of the various revenue sources and taxes in Texas. The Guide to Performance Measure Management, by the State Auditor’s Office, Legislative Budget Board, and the Governor’s Office of Budget and Policy, contains extensive information regarding the purpose and development of performance measures. The Biennial Revenue Estimate, published by the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas, provides detailed information on revenue available to the state for the biennium.

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Table of Contents Overview of the Budget Process ............................................................................... 1 The Budget Players ................................................................................................... 7

Legislative Budget Board .......................................................................................................... 9 Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas ............................................................ 11

Office of the Governor ............................................................................................................. 12

State Auditor's Office............................................................................................................... 14

The General Appropriations Bill ............................................................................ 15 Strategic Planning and Performance Measures ...................................................... 21 Development of the Appropriations Bill ................................................................ 25

Legislative Appropriations Requests ....................................................................................... 27

Joint Budget Hearings .............................................................................................................. 28

The Appropriations Bill and the Legislative Process ............................................. 29 Comptroller’s Biennial Revenue Estimate .............................................................................. 31

Filing of the General Appropriations Bill ................................................................................ 32

Filing of the Governor’s Budget .............................................................................................. 34

Committee Hearing Process ..................................................................................................... 35

Committee Report .................................................................................................................... 36

Conference Committee and Final Approval ............................................................................ 37

Certification by Comptroller .................................................................................................... 39 Governor’s Approval ............................................................................................................... 40

Administration of the Budget ................................................................................. 41 State Revenue Sources ............................................................................................ 45 Looking at the 2016–2017 Budget ......................................................................... 51 Glossary .................................................................................................................. 61 Resources ................................................................................................................ 83 Web Resources........................................................................................................ 84

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Overview of the Budget Process

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Overview of the Budget Process Texas’ two-year budget takes roughly twice that amount of time to prepare, produce, and administer. Agencies develop their appropriations requests in the first year, the legislature approves the General Appropriations Act in the second year, and the budget is implemented over the next two years. The first step in preparing the budget is the development of a statewide vision for the future of Texas government. The governor, in cooperation with the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), is responsible for preparing that mission statement for Texas. This statement provides a framework for the development of strategic plans and sets forth a mission for state government, core principles to guide decision-making, and goals and benchmarks for various state agency services and programs. "Texas state government must be limited, efficient, and completely accountable. It should foster opportunity and economic prosperity, focus on critical priorities, and support the creation of strong family environments for our children. The stewards of the public trust must be men and women who administer state government in a fair, just, and responsible manner. To honor the public trust, state officials must seek new and innovative ways to meet state government priorities in a fiscally responsible manner."0F1 The next step is the development of a strategic plan by each state agency as required by statute.1F2 A strategic plan is a long-term plan that sets forth where an agency is and where the agency plans to go. Strategic plans include a mission statement and identify the goals of the agency, the population served by the agency, a description of the means by which the agency plans to achieve its goals, and the measures that will be used to assess the agency's success in achieving those goals. The Governor’s Office of Budget and Policy (GOBP), formerly the Governor's Office of Budget, Planning and Policy, and LBB staff issue instructions for developing strategic plans in the spring preceding a legislative session. After developing a strategic plan, the agency submits its plan to the GOBP and the LBB for approval. In the spring or early summer preceding the legislative session, the LBB sends out detailed Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) instructions. These instructions are used by agencies to develop their budget requests. Included in 1 Instructions for Preparing and Submitting Agency Strategic Plans, Fiscal Years 2015 to 2019, Legislative Budget Board, Governor's Office of Budget, Planning and Policy, March 2014, page 28. 2 Section 2056.002, Texas Government Code.

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each agency's LAR are the performance measures on which budgeting is based. During the following months, the LBB and GOBP hold hearings with each agency concerning the agency’s strategic plan and LAR. During the course of these hearings, the items to be included in the agency’s strategic plan and the performance measures to be contained in the LAR are determined. LARs must be submitted by a specified deadline, usually summer or early fall, and copies must be provided to the LBB, GOBP, the State Auditor’s Office (SAO), the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas (comptroller), and other state agencies as specified.2F3 These LARs form the basis for the appropriations bill prepared by the LBB. During the fall prior to the legislative session, LBB staff prepares the general appropriations bill draft. This proposed appropriations bill contains performance measures, the maximum number of full-time equivalent (FTE) positions allowed per agency, capital budget information, specific enumerated instructions and contingencies on certain expenditures (called riders), the amount of funding recommended by the LBB, and the method of financing for each agency’s appropriation. The amount of funding that the LBB staff sets forth for each agency in the appropriations bill and the amount of funding requested by the agency do not always match. To help compare the amount recommended by the LBB and the amount requested by the agency, the LBB produces a document entitled Legislative Budget Estimates. That document sets forth all the information contained in the proposed appropriations bill except riders, and includes amounts expended by the agency in past years and the amount requested by the agency for the coming biennium. Next, the appropriations bill is filed in both houses of the legislature, allowing each house to work on the bill simultaneously and independently. As a matter of equanimity, the final bill sent to the governor, traditionally, is a senate bill one session and a house bill the next. The comptroller is required to provide to the legislature a biennial revenue estimate (BRE) at the beginning of each regular session.3F4 Because the legislature is constitutionally prohibited from appropriating more revenue than will be collected,4F5 the BRE is used by the legislature to ensure that appropriations will not exceed the anticipated revenue. During the first part of the session, the Senate Committee on Finance and the House Committee on Appropriations independently receive testimony on the budget from state agencies 3 2018-19 Legislative Appropriations Request, Detailed Instructions for Agencies for the Biennium Beginning September 1, 2017, LBB and GOBPP, June 2016. 4 Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution. 5 Ibid.

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and institutions of higher education. Each committee makes changes to the budget document. This process is referred to as “markup.” After the bill passes out of the respective committees in each chamber, it will come before the full body for a vote. The bill is then referred to a conference committee, composed of members of both houses, to resolve differences between the senate and house versions of the bill. Like the designation of the final bill, the senate and the house of representatives traditionally alternate each session in chairing the conference committee. After the conference committee has reconciled the differences and has agreed to an appropriations bill, the bill is sent back to both houses for a vote on final passage. If both houses pass the appropriations bill, it is sent to the comptroller for certification. The Texas Constitution requires the comptroller to certify whether there will be sufficient revenue to cover the appropriations made by the legislature.5F6 After the appropriations bill is certified by the comptroller, it is sent to the governor for his or her signature. The Texas Constitution, Section 14, Article IV, gives the governor line-item veto authority. If the legislature is still in session when that authority is exercised, it may override the governor’s veto by a two-thirds majority vote in each house. After the appropriations bill is certified by the comptroller and signed by the governor, it is implemented over the next two years. The appropriations bill takes effect on September 1 of each odd-numbered year. Although the budget does not appear in Texas’ statutes or codes, it is law and agencies are bound by it. The LBB and SAO are responsible for monitoring agency compliance with the budget.6F7 The governor and the LBB are empowered with budget execution authority, which is the authority to shift funds between agency programs, or even between agencies, if the need arises when the legislature is not in session.7F8

6 Ibid. 7 Sections 321.0132 and 322.011, Texas Government Code. 8 Ibid., Chapter 317.

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Budget Instructions to All Agencies (April-May)

Agency Budget Request Submitted to LBB & GOBP

Public Hearings for Agencies Conducted by LBB & GOBP

LBB Analysis of Requests

LBB May Meet to Act on Staff Recommendations

LBB Recommended Budget & Appropriations Bill to

Legislature

Governor Submits Executive Budget to Legislature

Senate Finance Committee

SFC Subcommittees

Public Hearings

SFC Markup

SFC Recommendations to Full Senate

Senate Version House Version

HAC Recommendations to Full House

HAC Markup

Public Hearings

HAC Subcommittees

House Appropriations Committee

Conference Committee

Conference Committee Report

Senate House

Comptroller

Governor

State Agencies

GOBP Analysis of Requests

Legislature

GOBP Governor’s Office of Budget and Policy LBB Legislative Budget Board SFC Senate Finance Committee HAC House Appropriations Committee

Texas Biennial Budget Cycle

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The Budget Players

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Legislative Budget Board The Legislative Budget Board (LBB) was created in 1949 for the primary purpose of recommending legislative appropriations for all agencies of state government. The LBB is composed of the lieutenant governor; the speaker of the house; the chairs of the Senate Committee on Finance, Senate Committee on State Affairs, House Committee on Appropriations, and House Committee on Ways and Means; two additional members of the senate appointed by the lieutenant governor; and two additional members of the house of representatives appointed by the speaker. The LBB employs a staff that includes analysts who work with and monitor state agencies. The LBB staff is often referred to as the LBB and, occasionally, as the LBO (Legislative Budget Office). The LBB is active in developing the fiscal policy of the state. Among the legal responsibilities of the LBB are to:

• adopt a constitutional spending limit;8F9 • prepare a general appropriations bill;9F10 • prepare agency performance reports;10F11 • guide, review, and finalize agency strategic plans;11F12 • prepare fiscal notes identifying the probable costs of proposed

legislation and impact statements;12F13 and • take necessary action to transfer funds from one purpose to another

within an agency or transfer funds from one agency to another (these actions are known as budget execution actions).13F14

In addition to these responsibilities, the LBB provides many other services. During the legislative interim, the LBB provides semi-annual and annual

9 Section 22, Article VIII, Texas Constitution, and Chapter 316, Texas Government Code. 10 Section 322.008(a), Texas Government Code. 11 Ibid., Section 322.011(c). 12 Ibid., Chapter 2056. 13 Ibid., Chapter 314. 14 Ibid., Chapter 317.

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assessments of state agency performance, supplies information and support to interim committees, and publishes Fiscal Size-up, which summarizes the important fiscal actions of the prior legislative session and describes the purpose and services of state agencies, as well as provides comparative information on Texas state government. During the legislative session, the LBB supports the legislative appropriations process by providing staff resources for the House Committee on Appropriations, the Senate Committee on Finance, and the conference committee on the appropriations bill. This support often takes the form of tracking committee decisions, answering inquiries from committee members, performing analyses, and providing testimony. Source: Legislative Budget Board

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Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas The comptroller of public accounts (comptroller), the state’s chief financial officer, accountant, treasurer, and economic forecaster, performs many functions important to the state budget. The comptroller, a member of the executive branch elected statewide to a four-year term, is required to submit to the legislature, at the beginning of each session, a statement regarding the financial condition of the state and an estimate of the probable receipts and disbursements for the current fiscal year.14F15 The statement also must include an estimate of anticipated revenue for the coming biennium.15 F16 This statement is referred to as the Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE). The Texas Constitution prohibits the legislature from appropriating an amount of money greater than the estimated amount that will be collected in revenue.16F17 Once an appropriations bill is passed by the legislature, the comptroller must determine whether anticipated revenue will be sufficient to cover appropriations. If the comptroller determines that the appropriations bill is within the revenue limitation, the bill is certified and it goes to the governor for approval; if the comptroller determines that the appropriations bill appropriates more than the amount of anticipated revenue, the bill returns to the house in which it originated where steps may be taken to bring appropriations within the amount of anticipated revenue.17F18 In addition to these duties, the comptroller is responsible for collecting state taxes, tracking almost 600 separate revenue and spending funds, and ensuring that state agencies stay within their budgets. Source: http://www.window.state.tx.us

15 Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution. 16 Ibid. 17 Ibid. 18 Ibid.

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Office of the Governor The Office of the Governor is involved in the budget process from start to finish, beginning with strategic planning and ending with budget execution. There are two budget players within the governor’s office, the governor and the Governor’s Office of Budget and Policy (GOBP). The governor’s involvement in the budget process begins with strategic planning. The governor and the LBB jointly develop achievement goals for state government in nine major areas: education, regulation, natural resources, health, human services, transportation, public safety and corrections, general government, and state employee benefits.18F19 These goals are then provided to each state agency for use in developing their strategic plans. The governor, or a designee of the governor, also works with the LBB in developing Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) instructions; the LARs developed by the state agencies must be submitted to the governor.19F20 The governor, or a designee of the governor, must hold one or more public hearings regarding the LARs, 20F21 which may be held in conjunction with the LBB.21F22 The governor is required to compile a biennial appropriation budget,22F23 which should be delivered to the legislature at the beginning of the regular session.23F24 The governor is then authorized to develop a general appropriations bill to be delivered to the legislature within the first 30 days of the legislative session.24F25 Often, the governor’s budget serves as a guiding policy statement while the LBB’s bill is used as the appropriations bill. After the legislature passes a general appropriations bill and the bill is certified by the comptroller, the bill must be approved by the governor. Line-item veto power allows the governor to veto specific items in the general appropriations bill.25F26 After the budget takes effect, the governor and the LBB may jointly exercise their budget execution authority by approving the transfer of money from one program to another within an agency or transferring funds from one agency to another if the action is warranted.26F27 19 Section 2056.006, Texas Government Code. 20 Ibid., Section 401.042. 21 Ibid., Section 401.043. 22 Ibid., Section 401.044. 23 Ibid., Section 401.0445. 24Ibid., Section 401.046. 25 Ibid., Section 316.009. The statute provides for a 20-day extension for a person "inaugurated as governor who was not governor preceding the inauguration." 26 Section 14, Article IV, Texas Constitution. 27 Chapter 317, Texas Government Code.

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The GOBP is active in developing agency strategic plans. The LBB and GOBP jointly develop strategic plan instructions, which are usually forwarded to agencies during the interim between regular sessions of the legislature.27F28 The GOBP works with state agencies to develop acceptable performance measures.28F29 After state agencies develop strategic plans, the GOBP, along with the LBB, may compile those plans into a long-range strategic plan for the state.29F30

28 Ibid., Section 2056.002. 29 Ibid., Section 2056.004. 30 Ibid., Section 2056.009.

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State Auditor's Office The State Auditor's Office (SAO) is a legislative agency that serves as the independent auditor of state agencies, including institutions of higher education.30F31 SAO conducts economy and efficiency audits, effectiveness audits, financial audits, and compliance audits. The reports from these audits are often used by legislators in evaluating agencies. SAO, at the direction of the Legislative Audit Committee, is authorized by statute to conduct an audit or investigation of any entity receiving funds from the state. More importantly for budgeting purposes, SAO audits performance measures to ensure that agencies have established controls for proper and accurate performance reporting. SAO rates the audited measures in one of four ways:

• certified without qualification; • certified with qualification; • factors prevented certification; or • inaccurate.

“The SAO’s involvement in the Strategic Planning and Performance Budgeting System is to examine the accuracy of reported performance measures and assess the related internal controls. The SAO will assess the accuracy of reported performance measures so that the Governor and the Legislature can determine to what extent they can rely on the reported performance measures when making decisions or evaluating state agencies. The SAO also verifies that the performance measures are produced by management systems that have adequate internal controls. Adequate safeguards over the collection, calculation, and reporting of performance measure data increase the probability that reported measures will be accurate over time.”31F32

31 Ibid., Section 321.013. 32 Guide to Performance Measure Management (2012), by the SAO, LBB, and GOBPP, page 22.

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The General Appropriations Bill

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The General Appropriations Bill The general appropriations bill is prepared by the LBB and filed in each house of the legislature at the beginning of each regular session. The bill contains the recommended budget for each state agency. The current General Appropriations Act is divided into administrative sections, called articles, under which agencies are organized. These articles are:

Article I General Government Article II Health and Human Services Article III Education Article IV Judiciary Article V Public Safety and Criminal Justice Article VI Natural Resources Article VII Business and Economic Development Article VIII Regulatory Article IX General Provisions Article X The Legislature Article XII Savings Clause Article XII Emergency Clause

These article designations are often used when referring to agencies; for example, the Texas Ethics Commission is an Article I agency. By way of illustration, pages 18 and 19 contain the budget for the Libraries & Archives Commission for fiscal years (FY) 2016-2017 as found in the General Appropriations Act.

Method of Financing: Sets forth the source of funding for an agency. (See section on revenue for a description of funding sources.)

Number of FTEs: Sets forth the number of full-time equivalent (FTE) employees the agency may empty.

Schedule of Exempt Positions: Sets forth salaries for employees who are not paid pursuant to the state classification schedule.

Goal: Sets forth a goal the agency seeks to achieve.

Object of Expense: Listing of an agency’s budget by category of expense versus strategy.

Strategy: Sets forth actions to be taken by the agency to achieve the goal. There may be multiple strategies under one goal. Funding is provided at the strategy level.

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Riders: Sets forth specific instructions regarding the expenditure or collection of funds by an agency.

Performance Measure Targets: Sets forth a measurable target to be used in meeting a goal/ strategy.

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Strategic Planning and

Performance Measures

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Strategic Planning and Performance Measures Since 1993, state agencies have been required to develop long-term strategic plans.32F33 An agency must issue a strategic plan each even-numbered year; the plan covers a five-year period. Among the items to be included in the plan are a statement of the mission and goals of the agency, performance measures, the persons or entities served by the agency, an analysis of the resources necessary for the agency to meet its goals, and an analysis of expected changes in services or programs due to changes in the law.33F34 The LBB and GOBP may require that additional items be included in an agency’s strategic plan.34F35 The LBB and GOBP issue instructions for developing strategic plans in the spring before the beginning of each legislative session. The LBB and GOBP work in conjunction with state agencies to develop strategic plans. As a part of the strategic planning process, agencies develop performance measures. Performance measures are quantifiable indicators of achievement. Texas uses four types of measures:

• outcome—indicates the effect on a stated condition; • output—counts the services produced by an agency; • efficiency—gauges resource cost per unit of product; and • explanatory/input—provides information to help assess reported

performance.35F36

For example, an output performance measure for the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) might be the number of children from low-income families who receive free immunizations. Performance measures are linked to the budgeting process. They allow legislators to determine how well an agency is performing; often, legislators will question agency representatives in relation to performance measures. In developing performance measures, an agency must develop a definition for each measure. “A performance measure’s definition establishes both an explanation of the measure and the methodology for its calculation. It is important that the definition contain enough pertinent information to be clearly 33 Chapter 2056, Texas Government Code. 34 Ibid., Section 2056.002. 35 Ibid. 36 Guide to Performance Measure Management (2012), page 10.

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understood and the description of its calculation be detailed enough to allow replication.”36F37 Among other information contained in a definition is an explanation of why the measure is important, outside factors that may affect measurement data, and the source of the information. In the DSHS example, the definition would establish what is meant by low-income family, which low- income families qualify for the program, and what types of immunizations are covered by the performance measure. The definition would also establish a method for counting the number of children who receive the immunizations. Forecasts are made on measures as a part of an agency’s strategic plan and LAR following the development of performance measures. DSHS, in our example, might project that it will immunize a total of 2,000 children from low-income families over the next two years. Over the next two years, an agency collects data on its performance measures and reports this information quarterly to the LBB, GOBP, and other agencies. As part of the data collection process, an agency must establish controls to ensure the data is properly collected and reported. Among the duties of the SAO are auditing performance measures and certifying those measures. The audit report on performance measures includes a report on the adequacy of controls in reporting data and the accuracy of agency reporting on actual performance. At the end of the two years in our example, DSHS would appear before the legislature to seek funding for the next biennium. Among the information available to the legislators would be the number of children from low-income families receiving free immunizations during the previous biennium. If DSHS failed to meet its performance measure targets and, for example, immunized only 1,500 children, the legislators would want to know why. In addition, the legislators might have a state auditor’s report that points out problems in the controls for reporting data; again the legislators may want to know what the problems are and whether those problems have been corrected. The answers to these questions could affect the level of funding received by the agency. Strategic planning is an important part of fiscal planning in state agencies. In particular, as pointed out above, performance measures developed as a part of strategic planning can affect the amount an agency is appropriated by the legislature. 37 Ibid., page 14.

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Development of the

Appropriations Bill

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Legislative Appropriations Requests

A Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR) is a document prepared by each state agency which details the amount of funding the agency is seeking from the legislature. Agencies receive assistance from the LBB in preparing agency LARs. In the spring months preceding a legislative session, the LBB and the governor’s office develop and send out detailed instructions for LARs.37F38 These instructions set forth a standard format and procedure for preparing LARs. Performance measures are included in these budget requests. The LBB staff uses these measures to establish performance targets for agencies. LARs must include the following:38F39

• Summary of Baseline Request—Summarizes the agency’s expenditures and encumbrances for past years, budgeted amounts for the current fiscal year, and requested appropriations for the coming biennium;

• Supplemental Information Regarding Exceptional Items—Information

about items that are not part of the agency’s baseline budget request, but are exceptional in nature and warrant further discussion; and

• Appropriation Rider and Unexpended Balances Schedule—Details all

appropriations through riders, including unexpended balances carried forward between bienniums.

In addition, LARs may include among other forms information relating to required budget reduction measures, appropriations tied to specific federal laws, and a statement from an official of the agency, generally the agency administrator or the governing board, explaining changes in policy or providing information about assumptions fundamental to the budget request. Once an agency has completed its LAR, copies must be provided to the governor and the LBB. The instructions also specify that copies be provided to other agencies, such as the SAO, comptroller, and various libraries.

38 Section 401.042, Texas Government Code. The instructions for the 2018-2019 LARs are available online at: http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/Reference_Documents.aspx. 39 See LAR instructions.

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Joint Budget Hearings In the fall before the beginning of a legislative session, the LBB and GOBP hold joint budget hearings. Staff members from both offices attend these hearings. Each agency attends its joint budget hearing to discuss the agency’s LAR. This series of hearings usually goes on for several months and is arranged by the articles that appear in the general appropriations bill. For example, the joint committee will receive testimony from all agencies under Article V, Public Safety and Criminal Justice, during the same time period. At these hearings, the agencies have an opportunity to explain and justify their appropriation requests. During this time, the LBB, GOBP, and agencies discuss the performance targets that are set by the LBB, the amount of funding the agency should receive, and other aspects of the budget. Following the joint budget hearings, the LBB develops the general appropriations bill draft. These hearings constitute an agency’s last opportunity to influence the recommendations that will be made by the LBB in the general appropriations bill draft filed at the beginning of the regular legislative session.

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The Appropriations Bill and the

Legislative Process

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Comptroller’s Biennial Revenue Estimate The Texas Constitution prohibits the legislature from appropriating more than the anticipated revenue during the next biennium.39 F40 The same section of the constitution requires the comptroller to “submit to the Governor and to the Legislature upon its convening a statement under oath showing fully the financial condition of the State Treasury at the close of the last fiscal period and an estimate of the probable receipts and disbursements for the then current fiscal year. There shall also be in said statement an itemized estimate of the anticipated revenue . . . to be credited during the succeeding biennium. . . .”4 0F41 This submitted statement is referred to as the Biennial Revenue Estimate (BRE). The BRE contains not only the information required by the constitution, but also other fiscal information. For example, the BRE for the 85th Legislature includes:

• statements regarding the different revenue sources for the state and the anticipated amount of revenue from these sources;

• a statement on the economic outlook for Texas, which includes both historic information and a forecast; and

• an accounting of funds in the state treasury.41F42 Because the legislature cannot appropriate an amount greater than the anticipated revenue, this revenue estimate is critical in the budgeting process. This figure is used by legislators in making appropriations. The biennial revenue estimate can be adjusted by the comptroller during the session, so the initial estimate may be changed as the session progresses.

40 Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution. 41 Ibid. 42 Biennial Revenue Estimate, 2018-2019 Biennium, 85th Texas Legislature, Glenn Hegar, Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (January 2017).

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Filing of the General Appropriations Bill

The director of the LBB is required to prepare the general appropriations bill, under the direction of the LBB.42F43 Additionally, within five days of the beginning of a regular legislative session, the director of the LBB must transmit a copy of the budget of estimated appropriations to the governor and the legislature.43F44 Among the restrictions affecting the amount appropriated by the general appropriations bill is a provision that prohibits the rate of growth of appropriations in a biennium from state tax revenues not dedicated by the constitution from exceeding the estimated rate of growth of the state’s economy.44 F45 This provision results in the budget of estimated appropriations, commonly known as the constitutional spending limit. The budget of estimated appropriations is instituted by the LBB. The LBB establishes:

• the estimated rate of growth of the state’s economy from the current biennium to the next biennium;

• the level of appropriations for the current biennium from state tax revenues not dedicated by the constitution; and

• the amount of state tax revenues not dedicated by the constitution that could be appropriated for the next biennium within the limit established by the estimated rate of growth of the state’s economy.4 5F46

The LBB determines the estimated rate of growth “by dividing the estimated Texas total personal income for the next biennium by the estimated Texas total personal income for the current biennium. Using standard statistical methods, the LBB shall make the estimate by projecting through the biennium the estimated Texas total personal income reported by the United States Department of Commerce or its successor in function.”46F47 The LBB may use a more comprehensive definition of the rate of growth if the definition is approved by a committee composed of the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, and comptroller.47F48 To ensure compliance with Article VIII, Section 22, of the 43 Section 322.008, Texas Government Code. 44 Ibid. 45 Ibid., Section 316.001. 46 Ibid., Section 316.002. 47 Ibid. 48 Ibid.

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Texas Constitution, the LBB is prohibited from transmitting in any form to the governor or the legislature the budget or the general appropriations bill until the limit on the rate of growth of appropriations has been adopted.48F49 In the absence of an action by the LBB to adopt a spending limit, the estimated rate of growth in the state's economy from the current biennium to the next biennium is required to be treated as if it were zero, and the amount of state tax revenues not dedicated by the constitution that could be appropriated within the limit established by the estimated rate of growth in the state's economy is required to remain the same as the level of appropriations for the current biennium.49 F50 The committee must then adopt the rate of growth, the appropriations level, and the tax revenues as submitted by the LBB or as amended by the committee within 10 days.50F51 If the committee fails to act, the items are treated as if they were adopted. Once the constitutional spending limit has been established and the general appropriations bill has been prepared, the director of the LBB must transmit a copy of the general appropriations bill to the governor and the legislature by the seventh day of the legislative session.51F52 The general appropriations bill is then filed in both the house of representatives and the senate.52F53 The general appropriations bill may be introduced by any member of the legislature,53F54 but is traditionally filed by the chair of the Senate Committee on Finance or the chair of the House Committee on Appropriations.

49 Ibid. 50 Ibid. 51 Ibid., Section 316.005. 52 Ibid., Section 322.008. 53 Ibid., Section 316.021. 54 Ibid.

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Filing of the Governor’s Budget The governor is required to prepare a biennial appropriations budget and provide a copy to each member of the legislature.54F55 The budget must include:

• the list of appropriations for the current year preceding the biennium for which appropriations are sought and recommended;

• expenditures for each of the two full years preceding the current year; and

• the amounts requested by the various agencies and the amounts recommended by the governor for each of the years of the biennium.5 5F56

Other items are sometimes included in the governor’s state budget. The governor’s budget may set forth the policy goals of the governor. These policy goals sometimes influence the fiscal policy set by the legislature during the session. The governor is also allowed to prepare a general appropriations bill which may be submitted to the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the house, and the members of the legislature.56F57 The governor’s budget may also serve as the governor’s general appropriations bill.

55 Section 401.046, Texas Government Code. 56 Ibid., Section 401.046. 57 Ibid., Section 401.046.

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Committee Hearing Process After the general appropriations bill is filed, it is sent to committee. In the senate, the appropriations bill is sent to the Senate Committee on Finance, and in the house of representatives, the bill is sent to the House Committee on Appropriations.57F58 The committees may begin hearings on the appropriations bill filed by the LBB without waiting for submission of the bill prepared by the governor.58F59 During these hearings, the committees in the respective houses hear testimony from state agencies regarding the agencies’ requested appropriations.59F60 Agency representatives answer questions from the legislators. Questions may arise about an agency’s performance in relation to the agency’s performance targets, problems within the agency, or programs for which the agency is seeking funding. Additionally, as with all legislative committee hearings, citizens are entitled to appear before the committees to offer testimony on proposed appropriations.60F61 After the agencies have testified before the respective committees, the committee in each house begins a process known as “markup.” Agreements are reached on the funding for each agency and the wording of riders to be contained in the appropriations bill; the appropriations bill draft is then changed to reflect those agreements.

58 Section 316.022, Texas Government Code. 59 Ibid. 60 Ibid. 61 Ibid.

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Committee Report After markup has been completed and each committee has made changes to the general appropriations bill, the committees issue an altered bill as their committee report. The house version and the senate version of the general appropriations bill go to each respective chamber for a vote. The members in each chamber may make additional changes to the bill during floor debate. Eventually, a general appropriations bill is passed by each house. However, since there are almost always differences between the senate-passed and the house-passed versions of the general appropriations bill, a conference committee must be convened to resolve the differences.

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Conference Committee and Final Approval

Following passage by each house, the differences in the general appropriations bill, if the versions differ, are reconciled via an appointed conference committee. The lieutenant governor or the president pro tempore of the senate, when the latter is presiding, appoints the senate members of the committee. The senator sponsoring or authoring the bill must be appointed chair of the senate conferees; at least two of the conferees must be from the Senate Committee on Finance.61F62 In the House of Representatives, the speaker of the house appoints all conference committee members and names the chair of the house conferees.62F63 The senate and house rules limit the discussions and actions of the conference committee to the matters in disagreement between the two houses.63F64 Both the house and senate rules govern the conference committee on the general appropriations bill as follows:

• If an item of appropriation appears in both house and senate versions of the bill, such items must be included in the conference committee report;

• If an item of appropriation appears in both house and senate versions of the bill and in identical amounts, no change can be made in such item or the amount thereof;

• If an item of appropriation appears in both house and senate versions of the bill but in different amounts, no change can be made in the item, but the amount thereof shall be at the discretion of the conference committee, provided that such amount shall not exceed the larger version and shall not be less than the smaller version;

• If an item of appropriation appears in one version of the bill and not in the other, such item can be included or omitted at the discretion of the conference committee. If the item is included, the amount thereof shall not exceed the sum specified in the version containing the item;6 4F65 and

62 Senate Rules, 84th Legislature, Rule 12.01. 63 Rules of the House of Representatives, 84th Legislature, Rule 1, Section 16. 64 Senate Rules, 84th Legislature, Rule 12.03, and Rules of the House of Representatives, 84th Legislature, Rule 13, Section 9(a). 65 Senate Rules, 84th Legislature, Rule 12.04, and Rules of the House of Representatives, 84th Legislature, Rule 13, Section 9(b).

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• If an item of appropriation appears in neither the house nor the senate version of the bill, the item must not be included in the conference committee report. However, the conference committee report may include appropriations for purposes or programs authorized by bills that have been passed and sent to the governor and may include contingent appropriations for purposes or programs authorized by bills that have been passed by at least one house.

Using these rules, the conference committee works out a general appropriations bill acceptable to the members of the committee. After the members of the conference committee have adopted the conference committee report, the bill is sent back to each house for approval. Each house must now vote on the bill as reported by the conference committee. When both houses approve the conference committee report without change, the bill goes to the comptroller for certification and, if certified, to the governor. When either house makes a change to the conference committee report, the bill must be returned to the conference committee to work out the differences. If resubmission of the bill to the conference committee occurs, each chamber usually adopts a resolution stating that if the conference committee deviated in any manner from the rules regarding creation of the appropriations bill, the bill deviation is not fatal to the bill.

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Certification by Comptroller After the general appropriations bill has been approved by both houses of the legislature, it must be certified by the comptroller. The Texas Constitution states that “no bill containing an appropriation shall be considered as passed or be sent to the governor for consideration until and unless the Comptroller of Public Accounts endorses his certificate thereon showing that the amount appropriated is within the amount estimated to be available in the affected funds.”65F66 If the general appropriations bill exceeds this limit, the comptroller returns the bill to the house in which it originated. The legislature must either reduce the level of appropriations or generate additional revenue, which is usually accomplished by passing a tax bill or other revenue measures. If the general appropriations bill is within the level of anticipated revenue, the comptroller certifies the bill and sends it to the governor for approval. It should be noted that in the case of an emergency and “imperative public necessity” and by a four-fifths vote of each house, the legislature may make appropriations in excess of the anticipated revenue.66F67

66 Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution. 67 Ibid.

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Governor’s Approval After the general appropriations bill has been certified by the comptroller, it is submitted to the governor for approval. The governor has line-item veto power, which allows the governor to veto specific appropriations rather than vetoing the entire bill.67F68 If the governor vetoes items in the appropriations bill, the veto may be overridden by a two-thirds vote in each house of the legislature if the legislature is still in session. Once the governor has signed the general appropriations bill, it becomes the General Appropriations Act.

68 Section 14, Article IV, Texas Constitution.

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Administration of the Budget

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Administration of the Budget The General Appropriations Act takes effect on September 1 of each odd- numbered year following the regular legislative session. Funds are dispensed to agencies based on this two-year budget act. When necessary, the governor and the LBB have joint authority to transfer funds among programs within an agency or even between agencies; this is known as budget execution.68F69 This process involves a proposal by the governor or the LBB to prohibit or to authorize a state agency to spend money, transfer money from one state agency to another, spend money within an agency for a purpose different than the one for which the money was appropriated, or change the time an appropriation is made.69F70 The LBB may hold a public hearing regarding a proposal by the governor and then may accept, reject, or recommend changes in the proposal.70F71 If the proposal is made by the LBB, the governor may hold a public hearing and then accept, reject, or recommend changes to the proposal.71F72 Neither the governor nor the LBB may postpone distribution of an appropriation for a period that exceeds 180 days; reduce or eliminate an appropriation for the salary of an elected state official or a member of a board or commission appointed by the governor; or reduce or eliminate an appropriation to the legislative branch.72F73 The governor or LBB are also authorized to take certain actions regarding funds appropriated to finance the foundation school program for a fiscal year.73 F74 During the two years of the budget cycle, state agencies report to the LBB regarding each agency’s performance relative to performance targets. Some agencies will be audited by SAO.

69 Chapter 317, Texas Government Code. 70 Ibid., Section 317.002. 71 Ibid., Section 317.005. 72 Ibid. 73 Ibid. 74 Ibid.

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State Revenue Sources

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State Revenue Sources

Texas gathers money from several revenue sources to pay for the vast number of services provided to its citizens. Among these revenue sources are taxes, fees, lottery receipts, interest income, and the federal government. During different parts of the budget cycle, amounts and estimates change as the budget players receive more information. Figures 1 and 2 on page 49 depict the state’s revenue sources for the 2016–2017 biennium.

Besides taxes, available general revenue funds come from ending balances carried forward from the previous biennium, federal receipts, and non-tax revenue such as interest, investment income, lottery proceeds, and licenses, fees, fines, and penalties.

It is important to note that property taxes in Texas are strictly local revenue sources. The largest portion of the local property tax is the portion imposed by school districts, which is used to build and maintain the state’s public schools. The largest state budget item, or expenditure, is for education, which includes all public schools and institutions of higher education.

To complete your understanding of state finances, a discussion of the state’s depository funds is necessary. While there are more than 500 funds and accounts in the state treasury, the General Revenue Fund and a few closely related special funds and accounts play key roles in state finance. Below are just a few examples of the major funds and accounts that make up the state’s deposit balance.

The General Revenue Fund consists of non-dedicated general revenue and general revenue-dedicated accounts. The non-dedicated portion of the General Revenue Fund serves as the state's primary operating fund. Most state tax revenues, many state fees, and various other revenues are deposited as non- dedicated general revenue. Among the taxes deposited to non-dedicated general revenue are the receipts from the state sales tax, franchise tax, motor vehicle sales tax, alcohol and tobacco taxes, oil production tax, natural gas tax, and motor fuel tax. Expenditures may be made directly from non-dedicated general revenue, or, in some cases, revenue may be transferred from non-dedicated general revenue to special funds or accounts. The non-dedicated portion of the General Revenue Fund provides legislators the most discretion in spending.

There are more than 200 dedicated accounts maintained in the General Revenue Fund. These accounts receive revenue dedicated for a particular purpose.

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Generally, the legislature may appropriate revenue from the dedicated accounts only for purposes to which the revenue is dedicated by law.

The Permanent School Fund (PSF) is a perpetual endowment to support Texas’ public schools. Its original wealth was in land and money, but virtually all of the principal assets are now in securities.

The Available School Fund (ASF) receives interest and dividend income from the Permanent School Fund and one-fourth of motor fuel taxes. A portion of the ASF revenue is transferred to the State Instructional Materials Fund and used to provide instructional materials to children attending public schools. After the instructional materials allocation, remaining revenue in the ASF is allocated to school districts.

One-fourth of occupation taxes, which include, among others, the oil production tax, the natural gas production tax, and the gas, water, and electric utility tax, are constitutionally dedicated to public education. The revenue from these taxes is initially deposited to the General Revenue Fund, and then transferred to the Foundation School Account (FSA). With the passage of H.B. 4, 75th Legislature, net lottery proceeds became statutorily dedicated to public education and are deposited to the Foundation School Account. Revenue from the account is distributed to school districts based on foundation school program formulas.

The major revenue sources deposited directly to the State Highway Fund include motor vehicle registration fees, federal highway funds, and the sales tax on motor lubricants. Motor fuel tax revenue is deposited to the General Revenue Fund and a portion is allocated to the State Highway Fund. With voter approval of Proposition 1 in November 2014 a portion of funds collected from natural gas and oil taxes will be diverted from the Economic Stabilization Fund to the State Highway Fund. Revenue in the State Highway Fund is used for highway construction and maintenance, acquisition of rights-of-way, and law enforcement on public roads.

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Federal Funds 34%

Licenses, Fees, Fines, and Penalties

7.7% Other Receipts 10.6%

Sales Taxes 28%

Motor Fuel Taxes 3.3%

Motor Vehicle Sales and Rental Taxes

4.6%

Franchise Tax 3.3% Other Taxes

5.7%

Severance Taxes 2.7%

FIGURE 1 Estimated State Revenue Collections

2016—2017 Total: $213,997.3 Million

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FIGURE 2 State Revenue Biennial Comparison, By Source

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Looking at the 2016–2017 Budget

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Looking at the Budget Most official budget documents, unofficial analyses, or summaries will look at the budget in two ways: All Funds and General Revenue Funds. The General Revenue Funds budget is critically relevant because it is the portion of the budget over which legislators have the most control; the General Revenue Funds budget includes the non-dedicated portion of the General Revenue Fund and the Permanent School Fund, Available School Fund, and Foundation School Account. Put another way, funds other than these general revenue funds offer legislators less discretion over the appropriations process because they are “tied up” in one of three ways: dedicated for specific use by statute or the Texas Constitution; passed through to the state by the federal government with restrictions on spending; or subject to a court order on how the money can be spent. Texas has four constitutional limits on spending: a “pay-as-you-go,” or balanced budget, limit;74F75 a limit on welfare spending;75F76 a limit on the rate of growth of appropriations from certain state taxes;76F77 and a limit on debt service.77F78 Although amounts appropriated by the legislature are considered law as a practical matter, actual spending will almost always differ to varying degrees from those appropriated amounts. Accordingly, as time passes, budgets are labeled as recommended, appropriated, estimated, or expended, or a combination thereof.

75 Section 49a, Article III, Texas Constitution. 76 Ibid., Section 51a. 77 Ibid., Section 22, Article VIII. 78 Ibid., Section 49j.

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The Current Budget: An Example

General Appropriations Act – H.B. 1, 84th Legislature

The current budget, or the 2016–2017 General Appropriations Act, was filed by Representative John Otto, chairman of the House Committee on Appropriations, and sponsored by Senator Jane Nelson, chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Finance. The Act was finally passed by the legislature on May 30, 2015, certified by the comptroller, signed by the governor on June 20, 2015, and became effective on September 1, 2015, the first day of fiscal year 2016. The final recommended appropriations for the 2016–2017 biennium total $209.1 billion in “All Funds”—a $5.8 billion, or 2.9 percent, increase in state funding from the previous biennial level. (See Figures 3 and 4 on page 55.) The All Funds budget includes General Revenue Funds, General Revenue-Dedicated Funds, Federal Funds, and Other Funds (see the Glossary of Terms for definitions). The General Revenue Funds budget, including General Revenue and General Revenue-Dedicated Funds, totals $106,008 million for the 2016–2017 biennium. Agencies of education received the largest share of combined General Revenue and General Revenue-Dedicated Funds, equal to $56,001.6 million for the 2016– 2017 biennium. (See Figures 5 and 6 on page 56 and Figures 7 and 8 on page 57.) Source: Fiscal Size-up 2016-2017 Biennium, LBB.

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FIGURE 3

All Funds Budget 2016–2017: $209,103.0 Million

Percentage of Budget by Function

General Government

3.0%

Health and Human Services 36.9%

The Judiciary 0.4%

Public Safety and Criminal Justice

5.9%

The Legislature 0.2%

Business and Economic

Development 13.3%

Regulatory 0.4%

Natural Resources 2.1%

Education 37.6%

General Provisions

0.2%

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FIGURE 4

Comparison of All Funds - Statewide Summary

Notes: 1 Reflects provisions and/or appropriations in H.B . 2, 84th Legislature, 2015; H.B. 9, 84th Legislature, 2015; H.B. 11, 84th Legislature, 2015; H.B. 26, 84th Legislature, 2015; H.B. 100 , 84th Legislature, 2015; S.B. 18, 84th Legislature, 2015; S.B. 632, 84th Legislature, 2015; S.B. 1366, 84th Legislature, 2015; S.J.R. 1, 84th Legislature, 2015; other legislation passed during the 84th Legislature; technical and/or reconciling adjustments; and the Governor's vetoes. 2 Article totals exclude interagency contracts. Totals may not sum due to rounding. Source: Legislative Budget Board.

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FIGURE 5

General Revenue Funds Budget 2016–2017: $106,007.5 Million

Percentage of Budget By Function

General Government

2.8%

Health and Human Services 30.4%

The Judiciary 0.5%

Public Safety and Criminal Justice

10.8%

The Legislature

0.4% Business and

Economic Development

1.1%

Regulatory 0.3%

Natural Resources 1%

Education 52.8%

General Provisions 0.3%

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FIGURE 6 Comparison of General Revenue Funds Statewide Summary

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FIGURE 7 General Revenue-Dedicated Funds Budget

2016-2017: $7,808.4 Million Percentage of Budget By Function

General Government

12.7%

Health and Human Services

15.2%

The Judiciary 1.8%

Public Safety & Criminal Justice 1.7%

Business and Economic

Development 6.1%

Regulatory 7.3%

Natural Resources 19.3%

Education 35.7%

General Provisions 0.2%

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FIGURE 8 Comparison of General Revenue-Dedicated Funds

Statewide Summary

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Glossary

Terms

Some of the terms defined in this glossary are not mentioned in the text of Budget 101: A Guide to the Budget Process in Texas. These terms are included because they are terms that may be useful in studying or working on the budget.

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Glossary of Terms act: A bill passed by the legislature, approved by the governor, and recorded with the secretary of state. The governor has the discretion to allow a bill to become law without the governor’s signature. agency: A statutorily or constitutionally established entity authorized to act on behalf of and as an agent of the state and usually funded by the General Appropriations Act. agency goals: The general ends toward which agencies direct their efforts. A goal addresses issues by stating policy intention. Goals are both qualitative and quantitative, but specific goals are not quantified. agency mission: The reason for an agency’s existence. An agency’s mission succinctly identifies what the agency does, why, and for whom. all funds budget: The “all funds” budget includes General Revenue Funds, General Revenue-Dedicated Funds, Federal Funds, and Other Funds. appropriated: Refers to the dollars or associated full-time equivalent positions authorized for specific fiscal years, and to the provisions for spending authority. appropriated receipts: Fees and other revenue collected for services performed by a state agency which are usually appropriated to the agency to help recover the agency’s costs for performing the services. article: A major division of a bill or statute. Used in the general appropriations bill to group agencies with similar functions. Available School Fund: A constitutionally created fund consisting of the distributions made to it from the total return on all investment assets of the Permanent School Fund, the taxes authorized by the Texas Constitution or general law to be part of the Available School Fund (ASF), and appropriations made to the ASF by the legislature. A portion of the ASF is transferred to the State Instructional Materials Fund to provide instructional materials for children attending the public schools and the balance of the ASF is allocated to school districts. See also Permanent School Fund.

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base of reference budget: A budgetary forecast sometimes produced by the Legislative Budget Board which projects the budgetary needs of Texas state government for succeeding fiscal years based on current law. base period: The fiscal year, biennium, or other period that is the basis for budget or performance projections. biannual: Occurring twice a year. biennial: Occurring every two years. biennial revenue estimate (BRE): Article III, Section 49a, of the Texas Constitution requires the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas to submit to the governor and legislature upon its convening a statement showing the financial condition of the state treasury at the close of the last fiscal period and an estimate of the probable receipts and disbursements for the current fiscal year, as well as an itemized estimate of the anticipated revenue to be credited during the succeeding biennium. biennium: A two-year period. In Texas, as used in fiscal terms, it is the two-year period beginning on September 1, and ending on August 31 of odd-numbered years, for which general state appropriations are made. A biennium is identified by the two fiscal years of which it consists, e.g., 2016–2017 biennium. bill: A proposed new law, or amendment to existing law, that is introduced for legislative consideration. A bill which is enrolled by the legislature and approved by the governor becomes a law. briefing document: A document occasionally produced prior to the beginning of a legislative session that provides legislators with an overview of functional areas and the major agencies within each function. Included are current funding and performance data, the impact of major legislative changes, significant appropriations request items, interstate comparisons, and selected issues by function. budget document (Legislative Budget Estimates): A biennial document prepared by the Legislative Budget Board staff that contains agency funding and performance data for previous years, budgeted data for the current year, agency requested data for the next biennium, and Legislative Budget Board appropriation

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recommendations for state agencies and institutions. The document is introduced into the legislature at the beginning of each regular session. budget execution: Authority granted the governor and the Legislative Budget Board to make transfers of appropriations between agencies and items within the adopted budget. budgeted: Refers to the planned level of expenditures, performance, or number of full-time equivalent positions for a particular fiscal year. capital budget: The portion of an agency’s appropriation that is restricted to expenditures for designated capital construction projects or capital acquisitions. capital improvements: Building or infrastructure projects that will be owned by the state and built with direct appropriations or with the proceeds of state-issued bonds. certification estimate: Document certifying that the amount appropriated in the General Appropriations Act is less than or equal to the amount estimated to be available. This document is produced by the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas to help fulfill the requirement in the Texas Constitution that the state not spend more money than it has. classification plan: Schedule of position titles, job descriptions, and pay levels that all state agencies, with the exception of higher education and legislative agencies, must use in establishing and filling non-exempt full-time equivalent positions. classified positions: Those positions identified in the general provisions of the General Appropriations Act, that are established in accordance with the State Classification Act of 1961. constitutional limit: Any of four constitutional provisions that restrict amounts that the legislature may appropriate for expenditure. Texas has four constitutional limits on spending: a “pay-as-you-go,” or balanced budget, limit; a limit on welfare spending; a limit on the rate of growth of appropriations from certain state taxes; and a limit on debt service. contingency appropriations: Appropriations contingent upon passage of legislation or upon certain conditions being met.

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current services: An estimate of the anticipated costs and funding necessary to continue programs at their present service levels without changes of policy or legal requirements. dedicated funds: Funds in the General Revenue Fund that hold revenue dedicated for a particular purpose. Funds can be dedicated constitutionally or statutorily. discretionary revenue: Revenue not dedicated for specific purposes. Revenue falling into this category is usually deposited in the General Revenue Fund. efficiency: A criterion used to measure a program’s inputs relative to its outputs. An efficient program is one which uses the minimum possible resources while achieving its intended outcomes. efficiency measure: One of four types of key performance measures used in strategic planning. An efficiency measure gauges resource cost in dollars, employee time, or equipment used per unit of product or service output. An efficiency measure relates agency efforts to agency outputs. elements of cost: Categories of appropriation and expenditure used for certain institutions of higher education. engrossed: A bill is engrossed when it has been passed by the chamber of the legislature in which it was originally filed. enrolled: A bill is enrolled when it has been passed by both houses of the legislature. After enrollment, a bill is sent to the governor for signature or veto. estimated (est.): In an agency’s Legislative Appropriations Request, this refers to the estimated expenditures or number of full-time equivalent positions for the first fiscal year in the current biennium. Because these numbers are developed later in the fiscal year, they are considered to be more accurate than “budgeted” numbers. exempt position (non-classified): A position which is exempted from the position classification plan. Usually listed in the General Appropriations Act (see Schedule of Exempt Positions), exempt positions are designated by the governor under authority of the State Classification Act of 1961. Article IX of the General Appropriations Act establishes conditions for exempt positions.

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expended (exp.): Refers to the actual dollars or positions utilized by an agency or institution during a completed fiscal year; a goal or strategy; an object of expense; or an amount from a particular method of finance. explanatory/input measures: One of four types of key performance measures used in strategic planning. An explanatory/input measure provides information to help users assess the significance of performance reported in other types of measures. An agency may have limited or no control over factors addressed by explanatory/input measures, such as environmental or demographic characteristics related to agency target populations. However, explanatory/input measures may also focus on variables over which an agency has significant control, such as staffing patterns for specific functions. federal funds: Funds received from the United States government by state agencies and institutions that are appropriated to those agencies for the purposes for which the federal grant, allocation, payment, or reimbursement was made. fiscal note: Accompanies a bill and provides a synopsis of the estimated financial impact, including cost, revenue, and staffing impacts, enacting the bill will have. Required for every bill by senate rules; in the house, a fiscal note is required on the determination of the chair of the committee hearing a bill that the bill has fiscal implications. Fiscal Size-up: A biennial document prepared by Legislative Budget Board staff that describes state agency operations and summarizes the appropriations made during the preceding legislative session. fiscal year (FY): September 1 through August 31, and specified by the calendar year in which the fiscal year ends, e.g., fiscal year 2017 runs from September 2016 through August 2017. full-time equivalents (FTEs): Units of measure that represent the monthly average number of state personnel working 40 hours a week. function: A grouping of state agencies that provide related services; forms the basis of articles in the General Appropriations Act, e.g., General Government, Health and Human Services, and Education. fund: A constitutionally or statutorily authorized repository of revenue that is used for financing appropriations and which consists of either: (1) an independent

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fiscal entity with a self-balancing set of accounts, e.g., State Highway Fund; or (2) a category of revenues of receipts, e.g., federal funds. General Appropriations Act: The law that appropriates biennial funding to state agencies for specific fiscal years and sets provisions for spending authority. general appropriations bill: The appropriations legislation as it moves through the legislative process and before it is passed and signed into law. General Revenue Fund: The fund (No. 001) that receives state tax revenues and fees considered available for general spending purposes and certified as such by the comptroller of public accounts. general revenue–dedicated: Accounts that can be counted as general revenue but must be used for the purposes identified in general law to the extent such money is appropriated in the General Appropriations Act. general revenue–related funds: General revenue funds that are not considered dedicated funds, including the General Revenue Fund, the Available School Fund, the Foundation School Fund, and the State Instructional Material Fund. Also referred to as “funds affecting certification.” House Appropriations Committee: The house committee with jurisdiction over all appropriations, allocations, and diversions of money from the state treasury. historically underutilized business (HUB): A business in which at least 51 percent of ownership is by one or more persons who: (1) are socially disadvantaged because of their identification as African Americans, Hispanic Americans, women, Asian Pacific Americans, or Native Americans, and have suffered the effects of discriminatory practices; and (2) have a proportionate interest and participation in the control, operation, and management of the business. inputs: The resources that an agency uses to produce services, including human, financial, facility, or material resources. issue docket: A document prepared for the Conference Committee on Appropriations identifying the differences in line-item amounts and rider language between the house and senate versions of the general appropriations bill.

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key performance measure: A measure that indicates the extent to which an agency is achieving its goals or objectives and that is identified in the General Appropriations Act along with targeted performance objectives for each year of the biennium. These can be outcome, output, efficiency, or input/explanatory measures. Legislative Appropriations Request (LAR): A formal request for funding made by each state agency and institution. This request is in accordance with instructions developed by the Legislative Budget Board and Governor’s Office of Budget and Policy. The agency request is prepared according to the approved strategic planning and budget structure for that agency. Legislative Budget Board (LBB): A legislative agency consisting of the lieutenant governor, speaker of the house, and eight members of the legislature who have specific charges to direct the expenditure and appropriation of state funds. Also refers to the staff members of the Legislative Budget Board. line item: An element of spending authority granted to an agency or institution in an appropriations bill. Literally, a line in the General Appropriations Act specifying an agency’s appropriations for a specific designated use. In Texas, the governor may veto a line item. line-item veto: The governor’s authority to veto spending on a line-item basis. Allows the governor to veto spending for a particular item without eliminating total agency funding. markup: The term used to describe the period of time during which the Senate Finance Committee or the House Appropriations Committee makes changes to the general appropriations bill. master list of classifications: A detailed listing of all authorized classified position titles which appears in the general provisions of the General Appropriations Act, including job class numbers, titles, and salary groups. measure: An indicator of agency efforts and accomplishments. Measures indicate agency accomplishments already achieved, planned, or required by legislative directive. method of finance: The term usually appears as a heading for a table that lists the sources and amounts authorized for financing certain expenditures or

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appropriations made in the General Appropriations Act. A source is either a “fund” or “account” established by the comptroller, or a category of revenues or receipts (e.g., federal funds). mission: An element of an agency’s strategic plan that describes the reason for the agency’s existence. non-budgetary elements: Strategic planning goals, objectives, or strategies created to convey an agency activity or service which is not separately and directly costed or funded. Non-budgetary elements are not included as a distinct and separate item in the agency’s appropriations request and may have measures which remain internal to the agency and are not reported on a routine basis to oversight entities. number of positions: The total number of positions shown for a strategy, goal, or agency includes full-time exempt positions, full-time classified positions, and full- time hourly and seasonal positions. In addition, it includes those positions which are not full-time regular positions, but are converted to full-time equivalents. object of expense: An expense category used in an agency’s Legislative Appropriations Request covering payments for a period of time or class of items. For example, “personnel” covers payments for the services of agency employees, i.e. salaries and benefits. objectives: Clear targets for specific actions. Objectives mark interim steps toward achieving an agency’s long-range mission and goals. Linked directly to agency goals, objectives are measurable, time-based statements of intent. other funds: Any funds not included in the other methods of finance (general revenue funds, general revenue-dedicated funds, and federal funds). “Other funds” include the State Highway Fund, trust funds, bond proceeds, interagency contracts, certain revenue held in higher education “local” accounts and constitutional funds (except the Available School Fund). outcome measures: One of four types of key performance measures used in strategic planning. An outcome measure indicates the actual effect upon a stated condition or problem. These measures are tools to assess the effectiveness of an agency’s performance and the public benefit derived. outcomes: Outcomes are quantified results or impacts of government actions.

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output measures: One of four types of key performance measures used in strategic planning. An output measure is a tool or indicator used to count the services and accomplishments produced by an agency. The number of people receiving a service or the number of services delivered is often used as measures of output. performance measure: See “measure.” Performance Report: A biennial document prepared by the Legislative Budget Board that compiles selected performance evaluations. The document is submitted to the legislature at the start of each regular session. performance target: Quantitative performance standards set by the legislature in the General Appropriations Act. Permanent School Fund (PSF): The PSF was created in 1854 expressly for the benefit of the public schools of Texas. The Constitution of 1876 stipulated that certain lands and all proceeds from the sale of those lands should also constitute the PSF. Additional Acts later gave more public domain land and rights to the PSF. All of the proceeds from the sale or rental of those lands, including lease rentals, bonuses, and royalty payments, become the corpus of the PSF. Currently, most of the principal assets of the PSF are in securities. See also Available School Fund. priority (statewide) goal: The general ends toward which the state directs its efforts. Priority goals address the primary issues facing the state within broad groupings of interrelated state concerns. Priority goals are founded on the statewide vision prepared by the governor and the Legislative Budget Board and may involve coordination among several agencies with similar functions. quarterly/annual report on performance (performance measures report): Quarterly and annual reports submitted by state agencies showing planned and actual performance in terms of outcome and explanatory measures (reported annually) and output and efficiency measures (reported quarterly). recapitulation (recap): A concise statement appearing at the beginning of the General Appropriations Act and at the end of General Appropriations Act articles and Legislative Budget Estimates that summarizes the appropriations for all

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agencies for the biennium by general revenue, general revenue–dedicated, federal funds, other funds, and all funds. recommended (rec.): Refers to the dollar amounts of state agency appropriations or number of positions recommended by LBB staff for the subsequent biennium. reclassification: A change in the salary group pertaining to a particular classified position. requested (req.): Refers to the dollars or positions sought by an agency for appropriation by the legislature for use during the subsequent biennium. resolution: Legislation that is used for matters of business within one house or between the two houses. For instance, rules are adopted and modified by resolutions. rider: A legislative directive or appropriation inserted in the General Appropriations Act following appropriation line items for an agency or in the special or general provisions of the act. A rider provides direction, expansion, restriction, legislative intent, or an appropriation. The term also applies to special provisions at the end of each article and general provisions in the General Appropriations Act. A rider appropriation is distinguished from a regular appropriation (i.e., line items in the General Appropriations Act), and a special appropriation (i.e., legislation other than the General Appropriations Act). salary group: Each classified position has a related salary level. Salary groups range from Group 02 through Group 21. Each grouping designates a salary range further divided into Step 1 through Step 8. schedule of exempt positions: Schedule of personnel employed on a regular basis who are exempted from the position classification plan by the General Appropriations Act or by the governor. Senate Finance Committee: The senate committee that deals with legislation affecting appropriations, revenues, and matters of state financial activity. special funds: Non-general revenue funds that have retained their revenue dedication and are exempt from funds consolidation.

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statute: A law enacted by the legislature. Statutes are generally placed in codes with other legislation on the same subject.

strategic plan: A formal document that communicates an agency’s mission, goals, objectives, strategies, and performance measures. Other elements of a strategic plan include an internal/external assessment and agency philosophy.

strategic planning: A long-term, future-oriented process of assessment, goal- setting, and decision-making that maps an explicit path between the present and a vision of the future, that relies on careful consideration of an organization’s capabilities and environment, and leads to priority-based resource allocation.

strategic planning and budgeting system: The budgeting system for the State of Texas. Under this system, agencies request and receive appropriations related to elements of their strategic plans. Typically, legislative line-item appropriations are made to agencies for specific strategies.

strategies: Formulated from goals and objectives, a strategy is the means for transforming inputs into outputs, and ultimately outcomes, employing the best use of resources. A strategy describes a method to achieve goals and objectives. The legislature typically appropriates money to strategy line items.

transferability: The ability of an agency to transfer legislative appropriations from one agency to another, from one department to another, or from an agency’s line item to another line item. Transferability is generally authorized by rider in the General Appropriations Act.

unexpended balance (U.B.): The amount left in an item of appropriation at the end of an appropriation period and includes only that part of the appropriation, if any, which has not had an obligation or commitment made by the agency in charge of spending the appropriation. The term also refers to the amount of an appropriation, a fund, or a category of revenue which is brought forward (appropriated) to the succeeding fiscal year.

unlimited (U.L.): The abbreviation “U.L.” is used in schedules of classified positions and schedules of exempt positions (in the General Appropriations Act) to indicate that an unlimited number of positions are authorized. If used in the heading of the schedule, it means that an unlimited number of positions are authorized for all positions in the schedule. If used beside a position name, it means that an unlimited number of positions is authorized for that particular position.

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Budget-Related Abbreviations and Acronyms AAA—area agency on aging AAS—Agriculture Analytical Service ABTPA—Automobile Burglary and Theft Prevention Authority ACP—Alternative Certification Program; Texas Address Confidentiality Program ADA—average daily attendance; Americans with Disabilities Act ADP—average daily population ADR—alternative dispute resolution ADS—advanced database systems AEIS—Academic Excellence Indicator System AFRED—Alternative Fuels Research and Education Division AGD—Adjutant General’s Department AISD—Austin Independent School District AL-EXT—Texas AgriLife Extension Service ALI—automatic location identification ALR—Administrative License Revocation (Division) AL-RSRCH—Texas AgriLife Research APS—Adult Protective Services ARRA—American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ASEP—Accountability System for Educator Preparation ASF—Available School Fund ATPA—Automobile Theft Prevention Authority (renamed ABTPA) AUF––Available University Fund AYP––Adequate Yearly Progress BAB—Build America Bond (program) BCLS—Basic Civil Legal Services BCOM—Baylor College of Medicine BEG—(The University of Texas) Bureau of Economic Geology BEST—Blindness Education, Screening, and Treatment (Program) BET––Business Enterprises of Texas (Program) BPP—Board of Pardons and Paroles BRAC—Base Realignments and Closures BRB––Bond Review Board BRP—benefit replacement pay CAS—Community Attendant Services CASA—Court-Appointed Special Advocate CBA—community-based alternative CCA—Coastal Conservation Association CCC—Coastal Coordination Council CCDF—Child Care and Development Fund CCR—Child Care Regulation (Program) CCTS—Capitol Complex Telephone System CDA––comprehensive development agreement CDBG—Community Development Block Grant CDL—constitutional debt limit

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CEF—Cultural Endowment Fund CFP—(Texas) Clean Fleet Program CHIP—Children’s Health Insurance Program CHRI—criminal history record information CIAP—Coastal Impact and Assistance Program CIL—Centers for Independent Living CISO—Chief Information Security Office CJAD—Community Justice Assistance Division CJD—Criminal Justice Division CLASS—Community Living and Support Services (Waiver Program) CLED—Criminal Law Enforcement Division CMHCC—Correctional Managed Health Care Committee CMP—Coastal Management Program CPRIT—Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas CPS—Child Protective Services CRCB––Court Reporter Certification Board CSCD—Community Supervision and Corrections Department CSEC—Commission on State Emergency Communications CSHCN—children with special health care needs CSOT—Council on Sex Offender Treatment CWA—Clean Water Act CWP—Consolidated Waiver Program CWSRF––Clean Water State Revolving Fund CYD—Community Youth Development (Program) DADS—Department of Aging and Disability Services DAHS—Day Activity and Health Services DARS—Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative Services DAS—debt affordability study DATE—District Awards for Teacher Excellence DBMD—Deaf Blind/Multiple Disability (Waiver Program) DCS—Data Center Services DDS—Disability Determination Services DEAAG—Defense Economic Adjustment Assistance Grants DFPS—Department of Family and Protective Services DIR—Department of Information Resources DMV—Department of Motor Vehicles DOE—U.S. Department of Energy DPS—Department of Public Safety of the State of Texas DPV—district property values DSH—disproportionate share hospital DSHS—Department of State Health Services DWC—Division of Workers’ Compensation DWSRF—Drinking Water State Revolving Fund EA—Energy Assurance (Program) EBT—electronic benefits transfer ECI—(Interagency Council on) Early Childhood Intervention

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EDA—existing debt allotment EDAP—Economically Distressed Areas Program EECBG—Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant EFMAP—Enhanced Federal Medical Assistance Percentage EIA—equine infectious anemia EOC—end of course EPO––exclusive provider organization EPSDT—Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment (Program) ERCOT—Electric Reliability Council of Texas ERIG—Emissions Reduction Incentive Grants ERP—Enterprise Resource Planning ERS—Employees Retirement System ESF––Economic Stabilization Fund ESRD—end-stage renal disease FCC—Federal Communications Commission FCP—Family Care Physician FDA—Food and Drug Administration FEMA––Federal Emergency Management Agency FFCS––Feed and Fertilizer Control Service FFPC—Fire Fighters’ Pension Commissioner FMAP—federal medical assistance percentage FPL—Federal Poverty Level FQHC––federally qualified health centers FSP—Foundation School Program FTA—Federal Transit Administration FTE—full-time equivalent FTHB—First-Time Homebuyer Program FTSE—full-time student equivalent GAA—General Appropriations Act GBP—Group Benefits Program GCB—Guardianship Certification Board GDEM—Governor’s Division of Emergency Management GDP––gross domestic product GLO—General Land Office GME—Graduate Medical Education (Formula) GO––General Obligation (bonds) GOTEPP—GO TEXAS Partner Program GPA—grade point average GSC—General Services Commission GSP––gross state product HAVA––Help America Vote Act HCS—Home and Community-based Services (Waiver Program) HDTRA—Heartland Disaster Tax Relief Act of 2008 HEF—Higher Education Fund HEGI––Higher Education Group Insurance HERA—Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008

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HHS—health and human services HHSC—Health and Human Services Commission HIPAA—Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act HIV—Human Immunodeficiency Virus HMO—health maintenance organization HOME—HOME Investment Partnerships HTC—Housing Tax Credit (Program) HTF—Housing Trust Fund HUB—Historically Underutilized Business Program HUD—(U.S. Department of) Housing and Urban Development HVAC—heating, ventilation and air conditioning IAC—interagency contracts ICF–MR––intermediate care facilities for persons with mental retardation ICTCC—Information and Communication Technology Cooperative Contracting ID—(personal) identification IDEA—Individuals with Disabilities Education Act IEP—individual education plan IFA—instructional facilities allotment IHE—institutions of higher education IHP––(Federal Assistance to) Individuals and Households Program ILS—Independent Living Services IOLTA—interest on lawyers’ trust accounts IPTC—In-Prison Therapy Community (Program) IRS—Internal Revenue Service ISAS––Integrated Statewide Administrative System ISD—independent school district ISP—intensive supervision probation IT––information technology ITP––individualized treatment plan JAG—(Bryne) Justice Assistance Grants JAMP—Joint Admission Medical Program JET—Jobs and Education for Texas JJAEP—Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program JRS—Judicial Retirement System LAR—legislative appropriation request LBB—Legislative Budget Board LBE—Legislative Budget Estimates LECOS—Law Enforcement and Custodial Officer Supplement LIRAP—Low-Income Vehicle Repair, Assistance, Retrofit, and Accelerated Vehicle

Retirement Program LoanSTAR—Loans to Save Taxes and Resources LPG—liquefied petroleum gas LRA—less restrictive alternatives LRL—Legislative Reference Library LSTA—Library Services and Technology Act MDCP—Medically Dependent Children Program

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MDL—multidistrict litigation MFB—Multifamily Bond MFMRB—Multifamily Mortgage Revenue Bonds MH––mental health MLPP—Master Lease Purchase Program MMS—Minerals Management Service MOU—memorandum of understanding MPO—metropolitan planning organization MR––mental retardation MRA—Mental Retardation Authorities MSU—Midwestern State University NAAQS—National Ambient Air Quality Standards NAIS—National Animal Identification System NCIC—National Crime Information Center NCLB––No Child Left Behind (Act) NEA—National Endowment for the Arts NERRTC—National Emergency Response and Rescue Training Center NFIP—National Flood Insurance Program NLS—National Library Service (for the Blind and Physically Handicapped) NPL—National Priorities List NRUF—National Research University Fund NTIG—New Technology Implementation Grant NTRD—New Technology Research and Development (Program) NTSS—Network and Telecommunications Security Services NTTA—North Texas Tollway Authority OAG—Office of the Attorney General OCA—Office of Court Administration OCI––Office of Colonia Initiatives OCS—Outer Continental Shelf OCW—Office of Capital Writs OEM—Office of Energy Management OFCU––Oil Field Cleanup (Fund) OIG—Office of Inspector General OIO—Office of the Independent Ombudsman OPIC—Office of Public Insurance Counsel OPUC—Office of Public Utility Counsel ORP—Optional Retirement Program OSFR—Office of State–Federal Relations OSPA—Office of the State Prosecuting Attorney OTSC—Office of the Texas State Chemist PAB—private activity bond PACE—Permanency Achieved through Coordinated Efforts; Program for All-inclusive Care for

the Elderly PAL—Preparation for Adult Living PCCM—primary care case management PD—Parole Division

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PEB––Polygraph Examiners Board PEI—prevention and early intervention PELRP—Physician Education Loan Repayment Program of Texas PHC—Primary Home Care PHEF—Permanent Higher Education Fund PIU—Public Integrity Unit PRA––personal responsibility agreement PRB—Pension Review Board PRC—public retail customer PSAP—public safety answering point PSF—Permanent School Fund PSRB—Process Server Review Board PST—petroleum storage tank PUC—Public Utility Commission PUF—Permanent University Fund RDF—Research Development Fund REP—Retail Electric Provider RESFA—Real Estate Special Fund Account RIO—Reintegration of Offenders, as Project RIO RIO-Y—Reintegration of Offenders–Youth ROTC—Reserve Officer Training Corps RPC—Regional Planning Commission RRC––Railroad Commission RRPD—Rehabilitation and Reentry Program Division RTS—Registration and Titling System RWAF—Rural Water Assistance Fund RZEDB—Recovery Zone Economic Development Bond RZFB—Recovery Zone Facility Bond SAFETEA-LU—Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient, Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users SAFPF—Substance Abuse Felony Punishment Facility SAPB—State Aircraft Pooling Board SAPT—Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment SAO—State Auditor’s Office SBEA—Small Business Environmental Assistance SBEC—State Board for Educator Certification SBOE––State Board of Education SCJC—State Commission on Judicial Conduct SCSEP—Senior Community Service Employment Program SDU—State Disbursement Unit SECO—State Energy Conservation Office SEP—State Energy Program SERC—Southeastern Electric Reliability Council SFMRB—Single Family Mortgage Revenue Bonds SGST—Sporting Goods Sales Tax SKIP—State Kids Insurance Program

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SLB––School Land Board SNAP—Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program SOAH—State Office of Administrative Hearings SORM—State Office of Risk Management SOS—Secretary of State SPB—State Preservation Board SPP—Southwest Power Pool SPU––Special Prosecution Unit SSDI—Social Security Disability Insurance SSI—Supplemental Security Income; Student Success Initiative STAR—Services to At-Risk (Youth); State of Texas Access Reform (Program) STD—sexually transmitted disease TAAS—Texas Assessment of Academic Skills TABC—Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission TAFA—Texas Agricultural Finance Authority TAHC—Texas Animal Health Commission TAIS—Texas Apiary Inspection Service TAJF—Texas Access to Justice Foundation TAKS––Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills TALCB—Texas Appraiser Licensing and Certification Board TAMU—Texas A&M University TAMUSHSC—Texas A&M University System Health Science Center TANF—Temporary Assistance for Needy Families TB––tuberculosis TBPC—Texas Building and Procurement Commission TCA—Texas Commission on the Arts TCEQ––Texas Commission on Environmental Quality TCFP—Texas Commission on Fire Protection TCI––Texas Correctional Industries TCIC—Texas Crime Information Center TCID—Texas Center for Infectious Disease TCJS—Texas Commission on Jail Standards TCLEOSE—Texas Commission on Law Enforcement Officer Standards and Education TCOOMMI––Texas Correctional Office on Offenders with Mental and Medical Impairments TCPS—Texas Commission on Private Security TDA—Texas Department of Agriculture TDCJ—Texas Department of Criminal Justice TDEM—Texas Division of Emergency Management TDEx—Texas Data Exchange TDHCA—Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs TDI—Texas Department of Insurance TDLR—Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation TDRA—Texas Department of Rural Affairs TEA—Texas Education Agency TEA-21—Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century TEC—Texas Ethics Commission

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TEEG—Texas Educator Excellence Grants TEES—Texas Engineering Experiment Station TEEX—Texas Engineering Extension (Service) TEG—Tuition Equalization Grant (Program) TEKS— Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills TERP—Texas Emissions Reduction Plan TERT—Texas Emergency Response Team TESRS—Texas Emergency Services Retirement System TEXAS—Toward EXcellence, Access, and Success (Program) TExES––Texas Examinations of Educator Standards TFC—Texas Facilities Commission TFID—Task Force on Indigent Defense TFS—Texas Forest Service THC—Texas Historical Commission THECB—Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board THP––Texas Highway Patrol (Division) TIERS—Texas Integrated Eligibility Redesign System TJPC—Texas Juvenile Probation Commission TLC—Texas Lottery Commission TLFFRA—Texas Local Fire Fighters’ Retirement Act TMB—Texas Medical Board TMF—Texas Mobility Fund TMDL—total maximum daily load TNRIS—Texas Natural Resources Information System TPASS—Texas Procurement and Support Services TPFA—Texas Public Finance Authority TPWD—Texas Parks and Wildlife Department TRACS—Texas Review and Comment System TRAIL—Texas Records and Information Locator TRB—Tuition Revenue Bond TRCC––Texas Residential Construction Commission TREC—Texas Real Estate Commission TRS—Teacher Retirement System TSBPA—Texas State Board of Public Accountancy TSBVI—Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired TSD—Texas School for the Deaf TSLAC—Texas State Library and Archives Commission TSSWCB—Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board TSTC—Texas State Technical College TSU—Texas Southern University TTA—Texas Turnpike Authority TTC—Texas Transportation Commission TTI—Texas Transportation Institute TTUHSC—Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center TVC—Texas Veterans Commission TVMDL—Texas Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory

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TWC—Texas Workforce Commission TWDB—Texas Water Development Board TWIA—Texas Windstorm Insurance Association TxDOT—Texas Department of Transportation TXNG, TXARNG, TXANG—Texas National Guard, Texas Army National Guard, Texas Air National Guard TXSG—Texas State Guard TX-TF1—Texas Task Force 1 TYC—Texas Youth Commission UCC—Uniform Commercial Code UH—University of Houston UIC—Underground Injection Control (Program) UNT—University of North Texas UNTHSC—University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth UPL—Upper Payment Limit (Program ) USAS—Uniform Statewide Accounting System USDA—U.S. Department of Agriculture USDW—underground sources of drinking water USPS—Uniform Statewide Payroll/Personnel System UT—The University of Texas (System) UT-Austin—The University of Texas at Austin UTHSC—The University of Texas Health Science Center UTMB—The University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston UTMDACC—The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center UTSWMC—The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas VA—Veterans Affairs VAP––voting age population VEIMP—Vehicle Emissions Inspections and Maintenance Program VLB—Veterans’ Land Board VR––vocational rehabilitation WADA––weighted average daily attendance WIA—Workforce Investment Act WIC—Women, Infants, and Children (Program) WIF––Water Infrastructure Fund WSCC—Western Systems Coordinating Council

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Resources Documents containing helpful information are listed below. Fiscal Size-up – Published by the LBB, this document contains information on the current state budget, revenue sources and the economic outlook for Texas, and detailed information on each of the major functions of state government. Legislative Budget Estimates – Published by the LBB, this document contains the amount of money expended by an agency in previous years, the amount budgeted for the agency for the current year, the amount requested by the agency for the next biennium, and the amount recommended by the LBB for the next biennium. Biennial Revenue Estimate – Published by the Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas, this document contains the comptroller’s biennial revenue estimate, an overview of revenue, an economic forecast for both Texas and the United States, a description of revenue sources for the coming biennium, and an estimate of revenue in various funds. General Appropriations Act (H.B. 1, 84th Legislature) – This document is the General Appropriations Act passed by the 84th Legislature. When the General Appropriations Act is a senate bill, it is published by Senate Publications and Printing and when it is a house bill, it is published by the House Print Shop. The document is available on line at http://www.lbb.state.tx.us/. Guide to Performance Measure Management – Published by the SAO, LBB, and GOBP, this publication contains extensive information regarding the purpose and development of performance measures. Instructions for Preparing and Submitting Agency Strategic Plans – Published by the LBB and GOBP, this document includes an introduction to strategic planning, a timeline for the development of strategic plans, and descriptions of the required elements of a strategic plan. Budget and Performance Assessments: State Agencies and Institutions – Published by the LBB, this document provides an assessment of the performance of agencies during the previous fiscal year. A Guide to the Fiscal Note Process – Published by the LBB, this document provides a description of the fiscal note process.

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Web Resources Many publications and other resources are accessible via the Internet. Helpful websites include:

• Senate Research Center: http://www.senate.state.tx.us/src/index.htm.

• Office of the Comptroller of Public Accounts of the State of Texas: https://www.comptroller.texas.gov/

• Legislative Budget Board: http://www.lbb.state.tx.us • Governor of the State of Texas: http://www.governor.state.tx.us • Governor’s Office of Budget and Policy:

http://www.gov.texas.gov/divisions/bpp

• State Auditor’s Office: http://www.sao.state.tx.us • Texas.gov: http://www.texas.gov

• Texas Legislature Online: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us

• Legislative Reference Library: http://www.lrl.state.tx.us

Overview of the Budget Process
The Budget Players
The General Appropriations Bill
The General Appropriations Bill
Strategic Planning and Performance Measures
Development of the Appropriations Bill
The Appropriations Bill and the Legislative Process
Administration of the Budget
State Revenue Sources

State Revenue Sources

Looking at the 2016–2017 Budget
Looking at the Budget
Glossary
of
Terms

Glossary of Terms