Prison officials seek waiver from some budget cuts

HOUSTON Texas Department of Criminal Justice Executive Director Brad Livingston is releasing the proposed reductions Tuesday in a letter to the governor's office and the Legislative Budget Board.

Gov. Rick Perry and other state leaders asked all state agencies to propose budget reductions of 5 percent to deal with a projected state budget shortfall as high as $16 billion next year.

Livingston says his agency will trim more than $50 million if exemptions are granted. Otherwise, he says the cuts will total more than $294 million. That includes cutting about 3,100 jobs.