Some laws just hit a fatal snag.
A great example of the impact of process in a legislature that only meets 140 days every other year.
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A 10-year minimum for gun-related crimes, banning some conversations about race at Texas universities and penalties for libraries who host drag queens reading books are among dozens of high-profile bills written by Texas state senators that have met their demise in the Legislature’s lower chamber this weekend.
The Texas House on Saturday was required to advance bills through the committee phase by midnight. However, the House opted to not meet this weekend. The free weekend for state representatives means an untold number of bills can no longer be considered.
Many of the bills that died Saturday focused on LGBTQ issues and race. The House in many instances has watered down or blocked some of the most conservative ideas coming from the upper chamber.
Another torrent of bills authored by the Senate could meet a similar demise if they are not placed on the full House’s agenda by 10 p.m. Sunday.
The House Calendars Committee, which will determine the fate of bills waiting for a spot on the lower chamber’s calendar, will meet just before Sunday’s deadline at 5 p.m.
Each year, thousands of bills are introduced by state lawmakers in both chambers — only a fraction become law. Procedural rules such as this weekend’s deadlines often mark the end of the road for many legislative proposals — and can help block legislation that leadership does not want to move forward.
While Saturday and Sunday’s deadlines mean those bills are now off the table, the provisions outlined in those expired proposals could be included as amendments in surviving legislation. Similar proposals written by House members could also be advancing in the Senate, which has fewer procedural deadlines. For example, the Senate is considering a House version of a bill that mirrors Senate Bill 2 that died this weekend. Both bills would reinstate a felony penalty for illegal voting.
The Legislature must end its regular session by May 29. Gov. Greg Abbott has already signaled he’ll likely call lawmakers back to Austin to address one of the bills that died this weekend, a proposal that would have allowed Texas families to use tax dollars to pay for private school tuition.
