88th Texas Legislative Session Report - Vol. 9

March 15, 2023

• Last week saw a swarm of bill filing activity as Friday’s filing deadline loomed. Legislators filed over 1,000 bills filed on Friday alone—about 12% of all bills filed this session. Many of the bills filed last week were major priorities, including school choice, border security, and power grid reforms. With this first big deadline behind, other upcoming deadlines loom – it is 77 days until sine die.?

?

• On Thursday, Lt. Gov. Patrick held a press conference with Chairman Charles Schwertner (R—Georgetown), Vice-Chair Phil King (R—Weatherford), and the rest of the Senators of the Business & Commerce Committee. The group announced a package of nine bills aimed at power grid reforms.?“This is not a move to a capacity market, but it is a move to work with the PUC and create an incentive for more thermal power in ERCOT,” Patrick said.

?

• In the House, Speaker Phelan unveiled the last of his priorities for the House, which included a broad border security package and other bills aimed at brain health, juvenile justice, and parental involvement in public education.

?

• Meanwhile, the budget process has continued apace. The deadline to submit budget riders has passed in both chambers. Senate Workgroups and House Subcommittees are now marking up their budgets, reviewing riders, and moving forward.

?

• Around the Capitol, Gov. Abbott continues his push for school choice in rural parts of the state. Sen. Brandon Creighton (R-Conroe), Chair of the Senate Education Committee, asked Attorney General Paxton for an opinion on the state’s ability to issue school vouchers. And Comptroller Glenn Hegar’s office made the first of many disbursements to political subdivisions and local governments from the Texas Opioid Abatement Council.

To see the full report, sign-up for our alerts by visiting?https://form.jotform.com/223056688728165.