Senate Finance gave its OK to a $211.4 billion two-year budget. The document now goes to the full Senate, where it is expected to be debated early next week.

A Senate committee this week passed out two bills — on sanctuary cities and ending in-state tuition for undocumented students — that are high on Republicans' immigration agenda. The legislation moves to the Senate floor for further consideration.

The Senate has acted to move the state's public integrity unit from the Travis County district attorney. Under the compromise plan, investigations of public officials would rest with the Texas Rangers.

The House this week approved legislation that would provide incentives for school districts to implement a free, "high quality" pre-kindergarten program. The early education initiative is a priority item in Gov. Greg Abbott's legislative agenda.

The University of Texas System Board of Regents will allow member Wallace Hall to see some data and documents compiled during an outside investigation into outside influence on UT-Austin admissions. The decision was made during a contentious regents' teleconference meeting on Wednesday. Hall didn't have the backing of a majority but only needed two votes to have his request granted.

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