Gov. Abbott issues directive to implement immediate hiring freeze

AUSTIN (KXAN) — During Gov. Greg Abbott’s Stae of the State address Tuesday morning, he announced that all state agencies under his direction will institute an immediate hiring freeze through the end of the fiscal year.
Due to the budget shortfall—$104.9 billion, down 2.7 percent from 2016— Abbott says no agency should post a new position or fill a vacated position. The positions that are exempt from the directive are positions not funded through funds appropriated by the