The Texas Legislature, conceived as a part-time body to meet every other year for 140 days, is now in its record fifth session (counting the regular session).
When the impeachment trial of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is included, legislators have been in Austin pretty much the entire year, as the Texas Tribune noted. While legislators are paid just $7,200 a year in salary, per diem payments – meant to cover their expenses while in Austin – have mounted. If the fourth special session goes a full 30 days, taxpayers will have spent $4.8 million keep ing lawmakers in Austin.
The Senate quickly passed measures last week allocating $1.54 billion for segments of a border wall, a school finance bill that increases per-student funding, teacher retention bonuses for teachers and vouchers to parents who elect to send their children to private schools, the Austin American- Statesman reported.
