King Files Bill to Cap Welfare Spending
January 2, 2013
Contact Information:
(817) 381-8282
Austin – State Representative Phil King (R-Weatherford) recently filed H.J.R. 52, a constitutional amendment that would limit the growth of state spending for welfare and entitlement programs to not exceed the corresponding rate of growth of total state spending. Under the increased mandates from Obamacare, Texas general revenue spending for Medicaid alone is likely to increase from $16.3 billion in 2012-13 to $38.3 billion by 2020-21.
“Due to the ever-expanding mandates from the federal government, increased spending for welfare programs has caused the rest of the budget to suffer,” King explained, “Medicaid spending alone has more than doubled in the last decade and is on track to double costs every 10 years. Texas must limit the growth of welfare spending, or it will quickly overcome public education and transportation as the single largest item in the budget and become unsustainable.”
H.J.R. 52 will be considered before the Texas Legislature when it convenes for the legislative session on January 8, 2013.