Document providing information on how the state budget is written and approved by the legislature.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

This report focuses on the two separate trust funds that fund Medicare, the Hospital Insurance (HI) trust fund and Supplementary Medical Insurance (SMI) trust fund. Almost from its inception, the HI trust fund has faced a projected shortfall and eventual insolvency. Because of the way it is financed, the SMI trust fund cannot become insolvent; however, the Medicare Trustees continue to express concerns about the rapid growth in SMI costs.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to disclosure and use of certain information regarding the Crime Victims' Compensation Act.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to reporting and certification requirements by certain physicians regarding certain abortions.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to municipal regulation of the removal of trees on private property.

Joint resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate rescinding certain applications made by the Texas Legislature to the United States Congress to call a national convention under Article V of the United States Constitution for proposing any amendment to that Constitution.

Concurrent resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate in memory of Choco Gonzalez Meza of San Antonio.

Concurrent resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate in memory of Frank Ronald Galitski of Amarillo.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to public school finance, including funding for the recruitment and retention of teachers and the support of participants in the public school employees group insurance program.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the transfer of certain appropriations to the Texas Education Agency and the Teacher Retirement System of Texas and the adjustment of appropriations for public school finance.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to general procedures and requirements for certain do-not-resuscitate orders; creating a criminal offense.

Concurrent resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate recognizing February 15, 2017, as Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas Day at the State Capitol.

This report discusses OPEC's policy and agreement with 11 non-OPEC countries to reduce oil production to stabilize the price of oil which began January 1, 2017 and is in effect until March 31, 2018. Brief descriptions of the results of the agreement on global oil stocks are provided.

This report discuses the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from electric power plants. The first section of this report provides an overview of the RGGI cap-and-trade program and the participating RGGI states. The subsequent sections discuss selected issues raised by RGGI that may be of interest to Congress. The final section provides some final observations that may be instructive to policymakers.

This report discusses the funding process of House committees. The report is organized in three sections. The first provides an overview of the committee funding process in the House and analyzes funding levels since 1996. The second reviews House floor and committee action on committee funding in the 115th Congress. The final section summarizes the rules and regulations that structure the use of committee funds, and analyzes actual committee funding spending patterns during six previous years.

This report describes the rates of funding for research and development in the United States compared to the rest of the world through several charts.

This report looks at past proposals to corporatize or privatize FAA air traffic functions and examines the way air traffic management is structured in other countries, particularly focusing on those that have opted for corporatization or privatization.

This report discusses airport privatization under the Airport Privatization Pilot Program (APPP) and the airports that have been involved in the program on some level. Examples of airport privatization in the United Kingdom and Canada are also discussed.

This report discusses the proposed "Hearing Protection Act" (A part of the Sportsmen's Heritage and Recreational Enhancement Act,H.R. 3668) which would take gun silencers out from under the jurisdiction of the National Firearms Act of 1934 (NFA) and have them regulated only by the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA). The NFA requires fingerprint based background checks, taxes various parts of the production process, requires sellers to be federally licensed, and silencers must be registered with ATF.

This report provides an overview of Arctic-related issues for Congress, and refers readers to more in-depth CRS reports on specific Arctic-related issues. Some general issues include Arctic territorial disputes; commercial shipping through the Arctic; Arctic oil, gas, and mineral exploration; endangered Arctic species; and increased military operations in the Arctic, which could cause the region in coming years to become an arena of international cooperation or competition.

This report outlines the funding types received by U.S. Public Health Service agencies and provides brief overviews of each agency and their recent funding trends. The eight agencies discussed are the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Agency for Toxic Substances and and Disease Registry (ATSDR), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), the Indian Health Service (IHS), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

This report discusses the reviews of EPA policies regarding new rules created in 2015 regarding emission of greenhouse gases and ozone air pollution. The new regulations were put in force through authority given to the EPA in the Clean Air Acts of 1970, 1977, and 1990. Some Congressional members would like to revoke some of the authority of the EPA to change existing emission regulations and instead require Congressional approval for changes which along with the new presidential administration has prompted a review of environmental policies and EPA powers.

This report discusses section 735 of the Financial Choice Act (H.R. 10) which would repeal the Durbin Amendment. The Durbin Amendment capped the amount of interchange fees paid by merchants to banks when a customer uses a debit card to pay. The report begins with a description of the debit payments process and network pricing for the four-party system and the three-party system. It summarizes the requirements of Regulation II, which implements the Durbin Amendment. The report concludes with a discussion of some implications of Regulation II for merchants, consumers, and banks as well as with some recent observations.