Legislative Services

Pace Differs, but Peace Between the Chambers

In the Senate, more than 100 bills have run the chamber’s gauntlet of drafting, introduction, referral, public hearing, gaining an affirmative committee vote and, finally, passage by the full Senate. That group of bills includes over half of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority items, for which he reserved Senate Bills 1-40.

Patrick touted the achievement in a press release, calling on the House to follow suit. “I look forward to swift action from Speaker Burrows and the Texas House so these vital reforms to strengthen our state can pass and become law,” he said.

A nudge, no doubt, but nothing like the frostiness that characterized the relationship between then-Speaker Dade Phelan and Patrick last session. The two openly sparred, trading barbs and contributing to an impasse on a property tax relief plan and other matters that bled into four special sessions and through the 2024 campaign season.

Under first-term Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock), the House has been hard at work, referring roughly two-thirds of the more than 5,000 House bills and conducting over 100 committee hearings, but has yet to pass a bill in the full chamber. Burrows has expressed confidence that passage of the House’s first bill is imminent. The bill in question? House Bill 3 by Rep. Brad Buckley (R-Salado), which would institute public education savings accounts that eligible parents could use to pay for private education.

The 88th Legislature’s failure to pass a public education voucher plan contributed to acrimony between the chambers and played a significant role in the defeat or retirement of many Republican House members in 2024. Lawmakers eyeing a summer vacation may well gain hope from Burrows’ choice to move HB 3 first, but would be wise to consider trip insurance. At least one special session has followed seven of the last 10 regular sessions.

Senate Moves State Budget

On March 25, the Senate passed Senate Bill 1, the chamber’s version of the state budget for the 2026-27 biennium, authored by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston). The bill was sent to the House, where it was swiftly referred to the House Appropriations Committee. House budget writers will now adjust the Senate’s bill to confirm with their formulation of the state budget. The resulting revised version of SB 1 is expected to be heard on the House floor on April 10.

For more on SB 1 as engrossed, see these highlights from Huffman, who chairs the Senate Finance Committee. For a county-level perspective, go to last week’s County Issue article on SB 1. According to the Legislative Budget Board, SB 1 leaves at least $4 billion in discretionary spending authority on the table.

County Officials at the Legislature

On March 20, several county officials testified against SB 76 by Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood), which would ban counties from participating in the Countywide Polling Place Program on Election Day. Those testifying included Leon County Judge Byron Ryder, president of the County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas (6:53:51); Jefferson County Judge Jeff Branick (6:43:43); Sherman County Combination Clerk Laura Rogers (6:41:47); and Hays County Elections Administrator Jennifer Doinoff (6:32:18).

Archived video of their testimony is available here. Time stamps for their testimony are listed above.

Registration Open for the Texas Demographic Conference

Don’t miss this opportunity to engage with statewide and regional demography experts on Texas’ dynamic demographic changes. The Texas Demographic Conference, happening May 21-22 in Dallas, offers insights for research and policy analysts, planners, academics, students and community leaders.

Visit the conference website to register.

Legislative Directory Now Available

TAC’s Legislative Directory for the 89th Legislature is now available. The directory includes contact information for legislative leaders, committees, county official associations and TAC’s Legislative Services team.

Order your free copies here.

Grant Opportunities

The Texas Association of Counties highlights state and federal grant opportunities on its continuously updated Grant Opportunities webpage. TAC also maintains a listserv community to foster discussion between county officials on available grants. To join the listserv or share a grant success story, please contact Zelma Smith.

Week in Review is a collaborative column from TAC Legislative Services.