Many of the requests would cover pay raises and new hires for agencies dealing with high turnover and uncompetitive pay.
By Karen Brooks Harper – Dallas Morning News – Sr. Politics Writer – January 11, 2025
State agencies and institutes of higher education are asking Texas lawmakers for $24.6 billion in new money over the next two years, according to the Texas Senate’s chief budget writer.
The requests are part of the budget process that begins in earnest after the Legislature convenes Tuesday and typically winds up around May — when lawmakers pass a budget expected to exceed $300 billion for the two-year cycle.
Notable requests for new money include:
- The Texas Department of Public Safety asked for an additional $1.58 billion to create more than 2,000 positions — including 1,200 new workers for driver’s license offices, 435 Highway Patrol officers and 65 criminal investigators.
- The state’s juvenile justice system hopes to hire 338 employees — including correctional officers, mental health professionals and case managers to reach safe staff-to-inmate ratios. Safety and legal issues have plagued the agency that oversees five state-owned juvenile correctional facilities and three halfway houses. The agency, which has a $1 billion budget, is asking for $95 million for staff recruitment and retention, including more than $46 million for raises for correctional officers and probation staff.
- The Texas Department of Family and Protective Services wants more than 600 new employees to offset one of the highest staff turnover rates among all state agencies. Included in its request for $543 million in new money is $30 million for 141 adult protective services caseworkers.
- The Texas Department of Criminal Justice, which oversees the nation’s largest state-run prison system, is asking for $2 billion for pay raises and other projects. The agency wants to offer a 15% raise, noting a pay boost approved last session led to a rise in the number of correctional officers.