Texas House Deadlines Loom, Major Bills Falter
Austin, TX – The Texas House of Representatives faced a critical deadline on Monday as the final day for bills to pass out of committee approached. Any legislation that did not secure a committee vote has now effectively stalled.
Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University, highlights the stark reality of the legislative process in Texas, noting that out of approximately 7,000 bills introduced each session, only about 1,200 will ultimately become law. This means that around 5,800 bills will not make it through the legislative gauntlet.
One notable casualty was HB 5177, a proposed bill aimed at transferring surplus funds from the Harris County Toll Road Authority (HCTRA) to the City of Houston. The legislation was intended to provide $80 million annually for five years to address the city’s budget shortfalls. Despite robust support from city officials, the proposal faced significant opposition from Harris County lobbying groups, ultimately failing to gain traction in the House Committee on Transportation.
Political consultant Bill Miller commented on the dynamics, stating, "The HCTRA bill is dead," reflecting the Legislature’s inclination to encourage local negotiations rather than legislative interventions. A related Senate bill, SB 2722, also met a similar fate, referred to a subcommittee and likely to perish alongside HB 5177.
While no bill is considered truly dead until the session concludes, the possibility of reviving stalled legislation diminishes as time progresses. Jillson noted that, "Unless they become interested, it’s going to be very difficult to resurrect a bill." With the clock ticking, the fate of many legislative efforts hangs in the balance.
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