Legislative Blog
J.B. Williams, J.D.
Appropriations Bill Part 1
A Blog about 89th Legislative Session
A Bit of Background
The following backgrounds help summarize the author's views on both the general topic: Texas and more specifically 89th Legislative Session as it relates to that topic.
Brief Summary of Texas
Texas is truly a Republic. There are a multitude of items that to modify the state constitution must be modified. So there are times when Constitutional amendments are on the voting ballots. While I sometimes abhor the wording, the concept that all of those legally able to vote in Texas must vote on the change is a good one. And bills in Texas are generally short, making it easier for everyone to understand.
Summary of 89th Legislative Session
This subtopic contains a list of some of the "new" laws reviews. Total laws signed/voted into effect = 1,192. This will begin with an appropriations bill, and then go through a few that went into effect immediately. The following dates were when different laws took, or will take, effect: 7/1/25; 9/1/25; 9/5/25; 9/17/25; 10/1/25; 12/5/25; 1/1/26; 6/1/26; 8/1/26; 9/1/26; 1/1/27; 4/1/27; 9/1/27; 1/1/28
Blog Summary
SB 1 - General Government Appropriations - Article I
Appropriations Bill Part 1
Published: 2026-08-22
SB 1 - 1055 pages in total
I'll list items I think of as of interest to breakdown some of the overall appropriations. I will try to include wages/salaries and employee benefits for each category where it exists. I think every company should provide to each employee at the end of the year the total amount of 'compensation' the company incurred for them. This would include their pay, health insurance, 401k/pension, social security, etc. For each one the first number will be for August 31, 2026 and the second number will be for August 31, 2027.
Article 1 - General Government: $3,244,603,400 (3 BILLION plus) and $2,642,401,756 (2 BILLION plus)
Arts: $21,367,573 and $18,467,573
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Arts and Cultural Grants | $20,799,522 | $17,899,522 |
| Salaries and Wages | $1,124,440 | $1,124,440 |
| Employee benefits | $560,376 | $602,561 |
Attorney General: $730,839,117 and $733,824,603 (some of this comes from federal funds)
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue: Child Support Retained Collection Account | $97,342,086 | $17,899,522 |
| Revenue: Debt Collection Receipts | $8,300,000 | $8,300,000 |
| Revenue: Texas Department of Insurance | $3,912,324 | $3,912,324 |
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Services to state and authorized entities | $162,601,271 | $160,816,093 |
| Enforcement of child support | $385,709,543 | $392,552,416 |
| Crime Victims' Services | $143,049,944 | $140,977,734 |
| Medicaid Crimes | $24,905,067 | $24,905,068 |
| Salaries and Wages | $352,178,245 | $352,774,888 |
| Employee Benefits | $98,900,441 | $100,545,070 |
Bond Review Board: $1,263,022 and $1,272,021
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Local Bond Debt | $474,237 | $476,336 |
| Salaries and Wages | $1,010,400 | $1,044,400 |
| Employee benefits | $296,518 | $302,084 |
Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas: $300,051,000 and $300,051,000
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Cancer Research Grants | $250,465,472 | $250,482,212 |
| Cancer Prevention Grants | $27,197,521 | $27,199,381 |
| Debt Service (Bond Debt) | $269,704,143 | $293,315,783 |
| Salaries and Wages | $6,731,517 | $6,712,917 |
| Employee benefits | $1,122,551 | $1,134,267 |
Comptroller of Public Accounts: $383,092,929 and $382,062,744
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Compliance with tax laws | $213,280,406 | $212,396,479 |
| Manage Fiscal Affairs | $7,895,904 | $7,895,903 |
| Manage State Revenue | $383,092,929 | $382,062,744 |
| Salaries and Wages | $265,941,696 | $265,941,696 |
| Employee benefits | $79,599,185 | $81,105,155 |
Fiscal programs: $2,397,003,896 and $1,953,789,191
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| CPA - Fiscal Programs | $1,085,108,604 | $766,893,899 |
| Energy Office | $39,895,292 | $39,895,292 |
| Texas Broadband Development Office | $1,272,000,000 | $1,147,000,000 |
| Salaries and Wages | $2,401,185 | $2,402,185 |
| Employee benefits | $586,141 | $595,745 |
Comptroller for Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay: $1,390,720,062 and $1,429,137,772
Emergency Communications: $67,66,721 ($32,674,426 from 911 Service Fee Account) and $67,263,995 ($31,545,168 from 911 Service Fee Account)
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Statewide 911 Services | $52,671,967 | $51,679,838 |
| Poison Control Services | $13,639,564 | $14,170,849 |
| Salaries and Wages | $2,602,421 | $2,649,810 |
| Employee benefits | $635,143 | $648,472 |
Emergency Services Retirement System: $2,287,923 ($995,160 from general revenue) and $2,288,024 ($995,261 from general revenue). Majority of funding is coming from the assistance account.
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Sound Pension Fund | $2,287,823 | $2,288,024 |
| Salaries and Wages | $834,460 | $834,461 |
| Employee benefits | $165,933 | $167,228 |
Employees Retirement System: $13,750,000 and $13,750,000 all general fund for death benefits. $3,400,218,809 and $3,684,859,588. My only issue here is it seems a lot of funding through general revenue, and I had hoped they were moving toward shifting 100% of the government pensions to separate accounts. It seems that several of them are still drawing from general revenue funding. While I agree that some are probably paid less to do their job for the government than they would be doing the job for a private entity, it seems it would be better to shift funds to a separate account set up for pensions only. I know I've seen bills where law enforcement funds are being paid and I thought this was kept separate. This protects the general public from ensuring it is funded and the officers (other government employees). And some are paid quite substantially for doing their job and are still entitled to a government pension. And yet our general revenue seems to be on the 'hook' for this rather than ensuring a separate fund is creating and the funds are being held/invested their properly.
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Administer Retirement Program | $1,085,173,300 | $1,111,873,499 |
| Administer Group Benefits Program | $2,243,529,389 | $2,494,512,881 |
Ethics Commission: $4,972,671 and $3,918,866
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Administer Ethics Laws | $2,805,338 | $2,096,781 |
| Salaries and Wages | $3,075,761 | $3,075,761 |
| Employee benefits | $778,960 | $793,087 |
Facilities Commission: $250,661,993 and $114,500,787
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Facilities Construction and Leasing | $21,199,603 | $13,113,661 |
| Property and Facilities Management | $212,585,952 | $20,484,759 |
| Surplus Property | $4,179,720 | $3,820,778 |
| Debt Service (Bond) | $10,921,370 | $9,433,334 |
| Salaries and Wages | $41,818,139 | $42,947,227 |
| Employee benefits | $11,674,774 | $11,881,005 |
Finance Authority: $2,390,711 and $2,482,202
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Finance Capital Projects | $2,390,711 | $2,482,202 |
| Salaries and Wages | $1,937,978 | $2,028,417 |
| Employee benefits | $345,426 | $350,766 |
Governor Office: $16,774,707 and $16,774,704
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Appointments | $1,975,000 | $1,975,000 |
| Governor's Mansion | $933,317 | $933,317 |
| Salaries and Wages | $13,757,687 | $14,333,050 |
| Employee benefits | $4,775,064 | $4,738,247 |
Trusteed Programs within the Office of the Governor: $963,500,017 and $773,601,702 (includes federal funds)
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Grant Assistance, including disaster and disability | $88,346,756 | $87,931,544 |
| Criminal Justice Activities | $635,942,117 | $483,694,487 |
| Economic Development and Tourism | $239,211,144 | $773,601,702 |
| Debt Service (Bond) | $6,940,164 | $9,551,973 |
| Salaries and Wages | $17,877,006 | $18,894,835 |
| Employee benefits | $3,620,624 | $9,551,973 |
Historical Commission: $125,355,596 and $40,905,390 (includes federal funds)
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Historic Preservation | $121,503,674 | $37,053,469 |
| Debt Service (Bond) | $7,631,608 | $6,869,828 |
| Salaries and Wages | $26,380,905 | $26,403,029 |
| Employee benefits | $7,193,065 | $7,292,387 |
Information Resources: $779,460,891 and $798,888,417
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Promote Efficient IR Policies | $2,521,207 | $2,527,261 |
| IT and Telecommunication Services | $712,084,533 | $732,374,848 |
| Promote Efficient Security | $54,665,204 | $53,752,448 |
| Salaries and Wages | $32,755,610 | $32,755,610 |
| Employee benefits | $9,185,772 | $9,106,033 |
Library and Archives Commission: $41,897,464 and $38,159,962 (includes federal funds)
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Delivery of Services | $30,521,532 | $26,293,193 |
| Public Access to Government Information | $3,933,995 | $4,080,395 |
| Manage State/Local Records | $2,994,954 | $3,325,454 |
| Salaries and Wages | $12,347,563 | $12,251,068 |
| Employee benefits | $3,901,626 | $3,884,241 |
Pension Review Board: $1,435,469 and $1,442,970
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Sound Retirement Systems | $1,435,469 | $1,442,970 |
| Salaries and Wages | $1,292,679 | $1,300,180 |
| Employee benefits | $379,710 | $387,703 |
Preservation Board: $19,147,883 and $15,814,276
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Manage Capital and other buildings | $15,545,960 | $12,212,353 |
| Debt Service (Bond) | $1,042 | $644 |
| Salaries and Wages | $10,804,424 | $10,801,424 |
| Employee benefits | $3,004,257 | $2,967,137 |
Risk Management: $58,232,873 and $58,232,872
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Manage Risk and Administer Claims | $12,562,873 | $12,562,872 |
| Workers' Compensation Payments | $45,670,000 | $45,670,000 |
| Debt Service (Bond) | $1,042 | $644 |
| Salaries and Wages | $768,043 | $734,866 |
| Employee benefits | $2,597,067 | $2,563,890 |
Secretary of State: $81,948,640 and $59,136,688
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Information Management | $13,301,819 | $11,727,593 |
| Administer Election Laws | $53,673,385 | $32,351,936 |
| International Protocol | $283,920 | $283,920 |
| Salaries and Wages | $25,990,453 | $25,990,453 |
| Employee benefits | $5,709,908 | $5,812,815 |
Veterans Commission: $70,693,900 and $69,730,721
| Item | 2026 | 2027 |
|---|---|---|
| Claims Benefits and Assistance | $30,323,913 | $30,291,914 |
| Fund Direct Services to Veterans | $34,771,112 | $33,771,112 |
| Hazlewood Administration | $678,815 | $678,815 |
| Salaries and Wages | $29,948,400 | $29,948,401 |
| Employee benefits | $8,228,746 | $8,362,740 |
Retirement and Group Insurance: $203,156,262 and $217,527,204 all to the Employee Retirement System
Social Security and Benefit Replacement Pay: $58,264,967 and $58,379,791 all to Social Security /Benefit Replacement
Bond Debt Service Payments: $295,198,327 and $319,171,562 all to bond service debt
Lease Payments: $20,271,924 and $21,797,932 of this Bond service payments are $288,258,163 and $309,619,589
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