The Legislative Budget Board voted unanimously Monday to expand law enforcement’s presence along the Texas-Mexico border, adding manpower to security operations that state leaders approved last summer. The Budget Board voted to spend an additional $86 million on increased border-security efforts between now and the end of the current fiscal year on Aug. 31. Most of that money will pay for additional overtime for Department of Public Safety (DPS) personnel. According to DPS estimates, this effort is equivalent to adding 640 more DPS personnel in the border region.
The additional resources will also fund additional equipment and technology, as well as more aircraft flight time.
Governor Rick Perry, Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst and Speaker Joe Straus agreed to the border-security proposal before it went to Budget Board for approval. Earlier this year, the three state leaders directed more state resources to DPS operations in the border region.
The proposal approved Monday will also continue the involvement of Texas Parks and Wildlife game wardens in the state’s border security efforts through Aug. 31. In addition, it funds the deployment of Texas National Guard troops, at reduced levels, through March 31. Funding for border security has tripled since 2009.
The Legislative Budget Board is co-chaired by the Speaker and Lieutenant Governor. It also includes four Members of the House and four Senators.