Texas Senate passed all 40 of Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's priorities. Here's where they stand

article

Dan Patrick, lieutenant governor of Texas, delivers opening remarks at the Texas Power Grid Investment Summit in Houston, Texas, US, on Tuesday, Feb. 6, 2024.Photographer: Callaghan O'Hare/Bloomberg via Getty Images

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Senate has passed all 40 bills identified by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick as priorities for this legislative session.

The last priority bill, Senate Bill 31, passed the Senate on Tuesday.

Now, Patrick is calling for the House to start passing those bills and sending them to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk.

What they're saying:

"With the clock ticking, the House must prioritize and deliver conservative priorities to the governor’s desk. The Senate has passed them already," Patrick said. "It is time to begin moving Senate bills in the House. Democrats must not be allowed to obstruct the passage of key bills and joint resolutions. The House should start with property tax relief as the next bill they pass."

Senate priority bills

Each session, lawmakers file thousands of bills in the Texas legislature. In January, Patrick identified 40 bills that he called a priority.

"Traditionally, bill numbers 1 through 20 have indicated the Lt. Governor’s priorities for the Senate. In 2017, I increased the number of priority bills to 30. This year, I am increasing the number of priority bills to 40," Patrick said in January. "These bills represent the will of the conservative majority of Texans, and many will pass with bipartisan support."

With all 40 bills now out of the Senate, here's where they stand with a month to go in the legislative session:

Senate Bill 1 – Senate’s Budget for Texas. | Current status: In conference committee
Senate Bill 2 – Providing School Choice | Current status: On the governor's desk
Senate Bill 3 – Banning THC in Texas | Current status: Passed out of House committee on April 30.
Senate Bill 4 – Increasing the Homestead Exemption to $140,000 ($150,000 for Seniors) | Current status: Scheduled for public hearing on May 5
Senate Bill 5 – Combatting Dementia and Alzheimer’s – Establishing DPRIT (Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas) | Current status: Passed House on April 24.
Senate Bill 6 – Increasing Texas’ Electric Grid Reliability | Current status: In committee
Senate Bill 7 – Increasing Investments in Texas’ Water Supply | Current status: Left pending in committee on April 24.
Senate Bill 8 – Requiring Local Law Enforcement to Assist the Federal Government’s Deportation Efforts | Current status: In Committee
Senate Bill 9 – Reforming Bail – Keeping Violent Criminals Off Our Streets | Current status: In committee
Senate Bill 10 – Placing the Ten Commandments in School | Current status: Left pending in committee
Senate Bill 11 – Protecting the Freedom to Pray in School | Current status: In committee
Senate Bill 12 – Establishing a Parental Bill of Rights in Public Education | Current status: In committee
Senate Bill 13 – Guarding Against Inappropriate Books in Public Schools | Current status: In committee
Senate Bill 14 – Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency | Current status: Signed by governor
Senate Bill 15 – Removing Barriers to Affordable Housing | Current status: Out of committee
Senate Bill 16 – Stopping Non-Citizens from Voting | Current status: Reported favorably from committee
Senate Bill 17 – Stopping Foreign Adversaries’ Land Grabs | Current status: Committee report distributed
Senate Bill 18 – Stopping Drag Time Story Hour | Current status: Scheduled for public hearing on May 5.
Senate Bill 19 – Stopping Taxpayer Dollars for Lobbyists | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 20 – Stopping AI-Generated Child Pornography | Current status: Left pending in committee
Senate Bill 21 – Establishing the Texas Bitcoin Reserve | Current status: Left pending in committee
Senate Bill 22 – Establishing Texas as America’s Film Capital | Current status: Reported favorably in committee
Senate Bill 23 – Removing the Cap on the Rainy Day Fund to Secure Texas’ Long-Term Financial Future | Current status: Scheduled for public hearing on May 5
Senate Bill 24 – Educating Texas Students on the Horrors of Communism | Current status: Left pending in committee
Senate Bill 25 – Making Texas Healthy Again | Current status: Committee report sent to Calendars
Senate Bill 26 – Increasing Teacher Pay | Current status: In committee
Senate Bill 27 – Establishing a Teacher Bill of Rights | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 28 – Banning Lottery Couriers | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 29 – Incorporate Texas! | Current status: Passed to third reading
Senate Bill 30 – Curbing Nuclear Verdicts | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 31 – Life of the Mother Act | Current status: Received from Senate
Senate Bill 32 – Business Tax Relief | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 33 – Stopping Taxpayer-Funded Abortion Travel | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 34 – Wildfire Response | Current status: Scheduled for public hearing on May 5
Senate Bill 35 – Competing for Quality Roads | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 36 – Establishing a Homeland Security Division within DPS | Current status: Left pending in committee
Senate Bill 37 – Reforming Faculty Senates | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 38 – Stopping Squatters | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 39 – Protecting Texas Trucking | Current status: Referred to committee
Senate Bill 40 – Bail Reform | Current status: Referred to committee