While a bill to give even more power to Texas' newest city winds its way through the Legislature, a smattering of other issues remain top of mind as lawmakers eye a looming sine die.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, as head of the Senate, is one of the most influential of Capitol power brokers – nothing gets on the calendar without his okay. And at the start of the session, he laid out what he wanted to see the Legislature deal with more specifically: 25 priorities that are very much in line with his own conservative agenda.
Now, with less than a month to go before the planned conclusion of the legislative session, where do we stand?
Blaise Gainey, who covers the statehouse for The Texas Newsroom, says some of those priorities include property taxes, a ban on THC products, the state's water supply and bail reform. Gainey says many of these priorities have already passed the chamber Patrick heads.
"The Senate is not where the problem will be, at least for Dan Patrick," he said. "He's managed to get all 40 of his bills out of the Senate, and he's just sort of waiting on [House] Speaker Dustin Burrows to get the House to pass those."
Outside of emergency items like Gov. Greg Abbott's school voucher-like plan, the lower chamber has been slower to pass priority items, Gainey said.
"When it comes to the Ten Commandments, to bail reform, even the water supply… They haven't really been moving as fast as you would have thought," Gainey said. "And even maybe more surprisingly is the homestead exemption is also not moving as quickly now. It is scheduled for a public hearing today. You would expect these type of things to be done before only a month is left in the session. So we'll see how things move forward."
Gainey said that there are many similarities – but also some important differences – between the priorities lists of the governor, lieutenant governor and house speaker.
School choice and bail reform were on both Abbott and Patrick's list, while the proposed THC ban only appeared on Patrick's. And while Burrows' late election into his role made it difficult for him to compile his own emergency items list, property taxes was one issue that shared the focus of all three leaders – though Gainey says there is some disagreement among the chambers on who gets exemptions.
But Gainey says one notable distinction is in school funding. Both Abbott and Burrows have more funding for schools and teachers among their priorities, but Patrick's differs slightly.
"He does have teachers on there, but nothing about school funding. And the House tied both of those issues together into one bill, and the Senate really isn't moving on it," Gainey said.
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While there are several big-ticket items left for the Legislature to work on with the deadline fast approaching, Gainey said he's skeptical that Abbott will call a special session as had been a marker in previous years – especially with his marquee priority of school choice done and both he and Patrick eyeing reelection campaigns.
Such circumstances might make it more attractive to wrap up on time, even if other priorities like property taxes and bail reform remain unfinished.
"If not, then they'll be back possibly because those were also sort of big items that they've been talking about," Gainey said. "But candidates also like to run on issues and say things that they wanna get done. And so maybe it leaves something for them to talk about what they'll accomplish next time around."
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