Recommendations:

• Pass a conservative state spending limit that makes the following changes, where applicable, to Article VIII, Section 22(a) of the Texas Constitution and to Section 316 of the Government Code, as in SB 943 (85-R): 

  •  Apply the limit to Texas’ total government budget; 
  •  Base the limit on the lowest growth rate of the Census Bureau’s measure of state population plus the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ measure of infation for the consumer price index for all items, the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ measure of total state personal income, or the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ measure of total gross state product for the two fiscal years immediately preceding a regular legislative session when the budget is adopted; and
  • Change Article VIII, Section 22(a), such that a supermajority vote of two-thirds in each chamber instead of a simple majority is required to exceed the spending limit.

9 Lege Guide SS17 State Spending Limit by texaspolicy on Scribd