Lt. Gov Dan Patrick has announced the first 25 of the top 40 priorities for the Texas Senate’s 89th regular legislative session, which began on January 14.
Patrick noted in a press release, this year he has increased the number of high-priority bills from 30 to 40.
However, he added, “Just because a bill is not included in the top 40 does not mean it is not a priority for me or the Senate. There will be hundreds of bills that pass the Senate, all of which are important to Texas.”
Patrick’s legislative priorities were listed as follows:
Senate Bill 1 – Senate’s Budget for Texas
Senate Bill 2 – Providing School Choice
Senate Bill 3 – Banning THC in Texas
Senate Bill 4 – Increasing the Homestead Exemption to $140,000 ($150,000 for seniors)
Senate Bill 5 – Combatting Alzheimer’s – Establishing DPRIT (Dementia Prevention & Research Institute of Texas)
Senate Bill 6 – Increasing Texas’ Electric Grid Reliability
Senate Bill 7 – Increasing Investments in Texas’ Water Supply
Senate Bill 8 – Requiring Local Law Enforcement to Assist the Federal Government’s Deportation Efforts
Senate Bill 9 – Reforming Bail – Keeping Violent Criminals Off Our Streets
Senate Bill 10 – Placing the Ten Commandments in School
Senate Bill 11 – Protecting the Freedom to Pray in School
Senate Bill 12 – Establishing a Parental Bill of Rights in Public Education
Senate Bill 13 – Guarding Against Inappropriate Books in Public Schools
Senate Bill 14 – Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency
Senate Bill 15 – Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing
Senate Bill 16 – Stopping Non-Citizens from Voting
Senate Bill 17 – Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs
Senate Bill 18 – Stopping Drag Time Story Hour
Senate Bill 19 – Stopping Taxpayer Dollars for Lobbyists
Senate Bill 20 – Stopping AI Child Pornography
Senate Bill 21 – Establishing the Texas Bitcoin Reserve
Senate Bill 22 – Establishing Texas as America’s Film Capital
Senate Bill 23 – Removing the Cap on the Rainy Day Fund to Secure Texas’ Long-term Financial Future
Senate Bill 24 – Educating Texas Students on the Horrors of Communism
Senate Bill 25 – Making Texas Healthy Again
Senate Priority Bills 26 through 40 … coming soon.
Patrick said these bills “represent the will of the conservative majority of Texans, and many will pass with bipartisan support.”
He added that many other priorities are already included in the state budget, which is the first bill on the list. The budget addresses state needs, such as more funding for border security, hiring more state troopers, and new equipment and personnel to enhance the state’s disaster response capabilities.
As lieutenant governor, Patrick occupies the second-highest executive office in the state. He presides over the work of the state’s 31 senators and controls the budgeting process. His responsibilities include establishing all special and standing Senate committees, appointing chairpersons and members, and assigning legislation to the various committees.
Some of the state’s most urgent needs are among the top ten items on Patrick’s list, according to University of Houston political scientist Brandon Rottinghaus.
“The biggest issues that the state faces include infrastructure problems, water supply problems, the problem with the energy grid. These are all reoccurring issues that are very expensive,” Rottinghaus said, per KRLD.
Texans interested in following the progress of the bills filed in the House or Senate can track them at Texas Legislature Online.
For a bill to become Texas law, it must be passed in both the Senate and the House.