(Texas Scorecard) – With just over a month remaining in the 2025 legislative session, a group of conservative Texas House members gathered for a press conference to issue a stark warning to their leadership: time is almost up to deliver on Republican priorities.
“Today is day 107 of our 140-day legislative session,” said State Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R–Arlington). “In 12 days, every House bill that is going to pass must be reported by its committee. The clock is ticking, and our Republican voters are looking for the Republican majority they elected to the Texas House to deliver.”
Immigration and Border Security
State Rep. Mike Olcott (R–Aledo) said border security remains the number one priority for both the Texas GOP and voters across the state. He outlined four key policy targets: mandatory use of E-Verify, ending in-state tuition for illegal aliens, requiring local law enforcement cooperation with ICE, and addressing Colony Ridge.
On E-Verify, Olcott noted that “Senate Bill 324 was approved on second reading just yesterday, and we anticipate it will pass over to the House this week.” But in the House, he warned, progress has been sluggish.
“So far in the Texas House, the only legislation that’s been heard in committee on E-Verify is House Bill 323 … which only requires E-Verify for new local government employees, which is noble, but does not come close to turning off the employment magnet driving illegal immigration into this state.”
On ending in-state tuition for illegal aliens, he criticized a Senate bill that “contains loopholes that will ensure that illegal aliens continue receiving tuition discounts even after the ban passes,” pledging to fight to “shrink this bill back to an actual ban.”
Calling the Colony Ridge development, which is marketed to illegal aliens, “a stain on Texas,” Olcott warned that if legislation to address it is not moved quickly, “it will be killed by either Chairman Button or by House leadership.”
Medical Liberty
State Rep. Shelley Luther (R–Sherman) pushed for her bill to hold vaccine manufacturers liable if they advertise in Texas.
“HB 3441 has the votes to get out of committee, but it has been sitting … for nearly a month,” she said.
She called on the House to advance other stalled legislation, as well.
“We are also trying to prohibit discrimination in medical care … Multiple bills have been filed this session to protect vulnerable Texans from being denied medical care based solely on their vaccination status.”
She also blasted inaction on informed consent legislation.
“SB 95 … has gone nowhere since. Shockingly, this is not already required in Texas statute and allows physicians to skip a crucial step in the provision of medical care.”
Banning Social Transitioning of Minors
State Rep. Steve Toth (R–Conroe) focused on protecting children from social transitioning in schools. He said that while Texas banned gender mutilation surgeries in the last session, the House still hasn’t acted on legislation to prevent social transitioning.
“The good news is that we now have a great bill, House Bill 2258, to protect these kids,” Toth said. “Even better news is, it’s on its way to the governor’s desk … Bad news is, it’s not the governor of Texas. It’s the governor of Arkansas.”
Despite support from some members in the State Affairs Committee, the bill remains stuck.
“Chairman King won’t give it a hearing,” Toth said. “Texans will not forgive our massive Republican majority if we fail to protect children from groomers.”
Protecting Kids and Ending Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
State Rep. Nate Schatzline (R–Fort Worth) called a series of stalled bills “the bare minimum” necessary to protect children.
“It’s time—it’s past time—but it’s time right now for House leadership to act,” he said. “Parents across the state are counting on us to take a stand against harmful ideologies, harmful graphic materials, and a culture that seems hell-bent on sexualizing our children.”
Among the bills Schatzline called on leadership to advance are:
• Senate Bill 12, to prohibit classroom discussions of sex and gender ideology
• Senate Bill 13, to remove sexually explicit books from schools
• House Bill 1655, to ban social transitioning in public education
• Senate Bill 19, to end taxpayer-funded lobbying
• Senate Bill 240, to keep biological males out of women’s spaces
“Chairman King has said he will not let it come to a vote,” Schatzline said of the women’s privacy legislation. “We need you to reach out to them and demand that we protect our ladies.”
Election Integrity
State Rep. Andy Hopper (R–Decatur) noted that while the Senate has advanced several strong election integrity bills, the House hasn’t passed a single one.
“We haven’t passed a single election integrity bill,” he said. “Each of the Senate bills I mentioned are stuck in the House Calendars Committee.”
He highlighted House Bill 951, to close the GOP primary to Democrats, saying it “received support from a supermajority of Republican voters … and even has the support of President Donald Trump.”
And he warned of the consequences if leadership continues to stall.
“We need the Texas House—specifically Dustin Burrows, Chairman King, and Chairman Shaheen—to make election integrity a priority this session and get these bills to the floor.”
Second Amendment Rights
State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R–Deer Park) listed several pro-gun bills bottled up in committee, including legislation banning red-flag laws, removing “gun-free zones” on taxpayer-owned property, and expanding civil immunity for gun owners.
“Gun-free zones protect criminals—not law-abiding citizens,” said Cain. “Every Republican member campaigned on passing legislation to protect the right to keep and bear arms. There’s still time, but it requires decisive action.”
Tinderholt closed by noting that as of Tuesday night, the Senate had passed 725 bills, while the House had only passed 361.
“It’s time for the Texas House to catch up,” he said. “Every second we waste is another opportunity lost to secure the border, protect children from abuse, defend the rights and liberties of Texans, ban taxpayer-funded lobbying, and restore integrity to our elections.”
“There’s still time,” Tinderholt concluded, “but the window is closing—and it’s closing fast.”
The regular legislative session will end on June 2.