The filed House supplemental appropriations bill, HB2, would appropriate $1.4 billion from Texas’ Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF), also known as the Rainy Day Fund. However, a committee substitute for HB2 (CSHB2) was recently outlined in the House Appropriations Committee that would increase the appropriation from the ESF to $2.4 billion, which together with $957 million from general revenue (GR) and $1.8 billion from federal funds, would bring the total cost of the supplemental bill to $5.2 billion. An examination of the numbers shows that this is far too costly for taxpayers and that there is no need to use any money from the ESF.
Election Integrity
Consolidating Elections to Increase Turnout and Save Taxpayer Dollars
Uniform election dates produce four main benefits: 1) higher voter turnout, 2) election administration cost savings, 3) decreased likelihood of special interests dominating a low-turnout election, and 4) reduced election worker burnout. Key points: Seven states require municipal elections to be consolidated with even-year federal election dates. This increases turnout and saves $29.5-129 million for...
March 20, 2026