AUSTIN — Republican Gov. Greg Abbott on Wednesday ordered state agencies to spend $20 million on $40 million worth of overtime.

The state also will provide grants and contracts totaling more than $8 million for "social and economic development."

The state has long said it will not pay employees for overtime, but officials are now pushing for overtime to help with the costs of paying for a wide range of state programs, such as education, veterans affairs and health care.

"This is a significant new program that is expected to help support the state's efforts to achieve the goals of reducing the fiscal deficit, strengthening the economy, and strengthening our schools and the communities we serve," Abbott said in a statement Wednesday morning.

The state's budget was written to balance the state's $13 billion shortfall over the next fiscal year and provide funding to help pay for services. Abbott said he would ask lawmakers to consider creating a $2 billion emergency fund to pay for some of the overtime.

The state will provide grants and contracts totaling more than $8 million for social and economic development.

The $20 million is the same amount the state spent in the fiscal year that ended June 30. But it's not enough for the state to cover overtime costs for all employees, Abbott said. The state will still provide $10 million for overtime, he said.

The money will be given to agencies that have been asked to work longer hours, he said. Those agencies would pay overtime costs to their employees, as required by law.

For example, an agency that was required to be open eight days a week, but that wasn't, would not be paid overtime for that work.

The program would also provide $3 million for overtime payments for an agency that has been working overtime during the recent floods, Abbott said.

"It is essential that our state