Jim Watts

DALLAS — The proposed $1.2 billion University Medical Center hospital in New Orleans will require an annual subsidy from Louisiana of $100 million, according to a new financial analysis of the 424-bed facility.

DALLAS — Steady growth in Oklahoma revenues over the past 12 months indicates the state is recovering from the Great Recession, Treasurer Ken Miller said at a news conference on Thursday.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal’s chief budget officer asked the Legislature on Memorial Day to back off from cuts sought by lawmakers to the governor’s $25 billion budget proposal.

DALLAS — Texas Gov. Rick Perry called the Legislature into a 30-day special session that began Tuesday after a Democratic filibuster killed a combination revenue bill and school funding reform measure aimed at balancing the two-year state budget that was agreed to over the weekend.

Travis County officials said last week that 20 development firms are interested in a potential public-private partnership that would include a new county civil courthouse in downtown Austin.

Two bills that would have created dedicated funding sources for large water supply projects across Texas died last week in a House committee due to lack of support.

The Council of Bond Oversight last week authorized the Oklahoma Development Finance Authority to issue $100 million of debt for the higher education master real property program for projects at state colleges and universities.

Democratic legislators filed two suits last week in an effort to overturn as unconstitutional New Mexico Gov. Susana Martinez’s line-item vetoes of two bills. The lawsuits were filed with the state Supreme Court on May 25.

Gov. Sam Brownback last week signed a bill that aims to restore the long-term viability of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System.

DALLAS — Debate on Louisiana’s proposed $25 billion budget for fiscal 2012 was halted Wednesday in the House when lawmakers failed to reach consensus on how to balance the spending plan.

The Louisiana House Ways and Means Committee adopted a $4.8 billion construction bill this week, but yanked the authorization for $900 million of revenue bonds for the proposed new state hospital in New Orleans.

DALLAS — Harris County, Texas, has asked five law firms involved with 30 county bond issues over three years to return $300,586 of undocumented travel and entertainment expenses.

DALLAS — Texas legislators have agreed on the state’s next two-year spending plan, but still must reconcile revenues with expenditures before the session ends next week

The Mainland Community College District’s request for $87 million of general obligation bonds failed after a count of mail-in ballots resulted in more 'no’ votes.

Trustees of the Lake Travis Independent School District voted last week to put a $158.5 million general obligation bond proposal to voters on Nov. 8.

Oklahoma Treasurer Ken Miller said last week that he was disappointed with the $6.5 billion state budget for fiscal 2012 approved last week by the Legislature.

Oklahoma Lawmakers revived a bill authorizing a $70 million state road bond issue last week just 24 hours after the proposal was narrowly defeated.

The Arkansas Board of Education last week designated the Pulaski County Special School District as “financially distressed” because of several irregularities over the past few years.

Investments held by the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System totaled $5.98 billion at the end of the first quarter of 2011, an increase of $247 million from the previous period.

DALLAS — Texas budget negotiators agreed late Thursday to accept the Senate’s plan for a $4 billion reduction to state aid for public education over the next two years, ditching the House’s proposal for cuts totaling $7.8 billion.