State budgeting and resource allocation has been a complex process due to the demands of lobbyists for such strongly disputable priorities such as K-12 education, Medicaid, corrections, transportation, and health and human services. Funds, appropriated to institutions of higher education, are typically more delicate to the condition of the economy and the budget as compared to funds appropriated to other state agencies such as the courts or the criminal justice system (National Association of State Budget Officers [NASBO], 2015). One can identify this trend easily when reviewing annual spending habits for higher education, which typically increase during times of economic stability and decrease during times of fiscal hardships (NASBO, 2015). I sought to examine perceptions of Texas state legislators toward funding for public institutions of higher education in the state of Texas by surveying the legislators within the House of Representative and the Senate. The findings of this study provide support for the need to conduct future research focused on understanding how legislators in the state of Texas perceive funding for public institutions of higher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]