With 60 days elapsed since the start of Texas’ 89th Regular Legislative Session, lawmakers have officially entered a whirlwind phase of lawmaking, where efficiency and chaos go hand in hand. The Texas Constitution dictates the session’s procedures, and now that the window for unrestricted bill filing has closed, the pace of legislative action will increase dramatically.
Legislative Process Shifts into High Gear
Until now, much of the House’s activity has been relatively procedural, largely focused on introducing honorary resolutions and ensuring legislative groundwork is in place. This slow start is typical, as new lawmakers acclimate to their roles and legislative offices fine-tune their bills.
Despite the early lull, the session began with an attention-grabbing moment—the election of Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock). However, much of the real work has remained behind the scenes. Now, with the bill filing deadline of March 14 passed, attention shifts to committee hearings and floor debates.
The Senate’s Head Start
Unlike the House, the Senate, led by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, has moved swiftly through key legislative priorities, aided by the Republican supermajority. The Senate has already passed seven of Patrick’s first round of priority bills, including measures on school choice, a dementia research institute, and banning AI-generated child pornography. On Thursday, Patrick unveiled his second batch of priority bills, most of which align with Governor Greg Abbott’s emergency agenda.
Abbott’s Priorities Shape the Session
Governor Abbott laid out his legislative priorities in February’s State of the State address, naming property tax relief, infrastructure investment, and eliminating Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) practices in Texas schools as top issues. But no topic has dominated the 89th Legislative Session quite like school choice, which remains a divisive issue among lawmakers and constituents alike.
With Abbott and Patrick aligned on major policy areas, the Senate has had little trouble fast-tracking priority bills. Meanwhile, House lawmakers face a tougher road ahead, balancing political tensions and procedural hurdles.
Legislative Deadlines Loom
Now that the bill filing period has closed, lawmakers are racing against a tight schedule. With nearly 9,000 bills submitted, covering a vast array of topics—including bail reform, abortion restrictions, nuclear energy, Bitcoin, drone usage, increased teacher pay, and even renaming the New York strip steak—committees will have their hands full.
Key upcoming deadlines include:
May 12: Last day for House committees to report their bills.
May 15: Deadline for the House to consider non-local bills on their second reading.
May 24: Last chance for House committees to report Senate bills.
May 27: Senate's deadline for second-reading votes on House bills.
May 28: The Senate’s final day for considering any legislation.
The legislative clock stops on June 2, known as sine die, marking the end of the 140-day session. After that, Abbott has 20 days to either sign or veto bills. If he takes no action, they automatically become law.
Special Session on the Horizon?
If lawmakers fail to pass key measures before sine die, Abbott has the power to call a special session, which would last up to 30 days. With school choice and property tax relief remaining contentious, the possibility of a special session is very much in play.
