The 2013 legislative session will mark the 10th anniversary of a decision by Texas lawmakers to deregulate college tuition, giving the authority to set tuition at public universities to the institutions.

Since deregulation, the average cost of tuition and fees at the state’s public universities has increased by 90 percent, according to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board. Some lawmakers are hoping the new session will provide an opportunity to regain control of the price-setting process.

“It’s past time for the Legislature to stop abdicating its...

The Legislative Budget Board voted Thursday morning to cap the state’s spending growth rate at 10.71 percent for the next two-year budget, while Republican leaders in the Senate signaled plans to fight for a budget with spending even lower than that.

The Texas Constitution states that nondedicated spending can’t increase by more than the growth in the state’s economy, but it doesn’t spell out how to measure that growth. State lawmakers have long relied on estimates of growth in Texans’ personal income.

Budget board staff members presented the panel with five forecasts of 2014-15 Texas personal income...