State budget cuts are costing thousands of state workers their jobs and reducing services to needy Texans. But neither a tight budget nor a special session is spoiling a midsummer break for a handful of legislators.

While members of the state Senate remained in Austin, struggling over congressional redistricting, an unknown number of House members, including Speaker Tom Craddick, headed to San Francisco for the annual meeting of the National Conference of State Legislatures.

Texas taxpayers, already stuck with an estimated $1.7 million tab for the special session, will pick up much of the conference costs for the lawmakers as well.

It was not clear Tuesday how many legislators were attending the meeting, which began Monday and ends Friday. About 60 House members were registered late last week, according to the speaker's office, down from 96 representatives and senators who had pre-registered.

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Richter said it will be impossible to know how much the conference will cost taxpayers until travel vouchers are submitted.

But, he said, the state pays for lawmakers' airfare at a discounted contract rate, along with their hotel costs, registration fees, as much as $100 a day for meals and as much as $50 a day for car rentals. Lawmakers must pick up the tabs for spouses or children who accompany them.

Hotels listed on the conference Web site listed rates ranging from $139 to $209 a night.