The Texas House of Representatives recently passed its version of the biennial state budget, which will now go to a conference committee to work out differences between what my chamber passed and what the Senate adopted. The House version of the budget provides some pretty clear insights into the improving financial picture between the current legislative session and the one we faced two years ago.


Last session the Texas Legislature endured some very tough budgeting challenges in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorists attacks. Our economic engine was slowed, which dampened available revenues. The challenge was to fund just the essentials without creating a host of new taxes that could depress the economic recovery. It was not an easy task.


The good news in 2005 is that a steadily reviving economy has made things a little easier for the Capitol's budget writers. However, while the available revenue is larger, it still doesn't mean are lots of extra dollars just laying around to spend on anything that sounds good. We established clear funding priorities and I am very pleased with where our budget targets the additional revenues.


It is proposed that Texas spend a total of $137.5 billion over the next two years from all sources of funding. Roughly half of this is amount ($65.9 billion) is from general revenue, or the money from Texas taxpayers that is spent on general government programs.


It is notable that the new budget directs 94 cents of every dollar of state general revenue to just three main priorities: education, health care, and public safety.


At the very top of my personal list for more funding was public education. I am pleased to report that under the House budget plan there is a total of $5.2 billion more available for educating Texans. This represents better than a 15 percent increase over the last biennium. This new money will fund everything from educator salary increases to better textbooks.


Next up was improving access to health care for the needy. Some of the highlights here included the restoration of dental, vision, and hospice services for the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP). The budget also funds an increase in the scope of our vaccination programs and enhances the state's newborn disease screening system.


Another major health and safety improvement is that the new budget reserves an additional $300 million for improving child and adult protective services. This will clearly help our most vulnerable Texans.


This budget also contains a 5.4 percent increase in general revenue funding for public safety and criminal justice.


Another big concern for me was more money for transportation and this also sees improvement. The state will see an additional $1.2 billion in federal transportation funding under this proposed budget.