Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick outlines sweeping conservative agenda with list of top 25 legislative priorities

Yahoo

29-01-2025

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Wednesday unveiled a sweeping list of his top 25 legislative priorities, including proposals to cut property taxes, shore up the state's electric grid and water supply, and infuse religion into public schools.
Patrick, a Republican who presides over the Texas Senate, holds enormous power in setting the Legislature's agenda and deciding which bills get passed into law. His priorities outline a broadly conservative agenda, ranging from 'guarding against inappropriate books in public schools' to requiring local law enforcement to 'assist the federal government's deportation efforts.'
Most legislation on Patrick's list had yet to be filed; the only details were his office's informal titles for each bill, such as for Senate Bill 14: 'Texas DOGE – Improving Government Efficiency.' Some priorities were linked to spending items outlined in the first drafts of the state budget filed by lawmakers last week, including an effort spearheaded by Patrick to create a $3 billion dementia research institute.
Patrick's list included a pair of proposals, Senate Bills 10 and 11, described as 'Placing the Ten Commandments in School' and 'Protecting the Freedom to Pray in School.' Another, Senate Bill 24, was titled 'Educating Texas Students on the Horrors of Communism.'
The lieutenant governor also renewed his failed push from the previous session to prevent citizens and foreign entities from certain countries from buying land in Texas, which will be designated as Senate Bill 17.
To become law, each measure will also have to make it through the Texas House and either be signed by Gov. Greg Abbott or approved on the statewide ballot. Patrick has typically driven his priorities through the Senate with ease, but he has encountered resistance in the lower chamber on measures including private school vouchers and the Ten Commandments proposal. The House has also rejected a push to amend the Texas Constitution to give judges more discretion to deny bail outright, an effort Patrick appeared to revive in Senate Bill 9, titled 'Reforming Bail – Keeping Violent Criminals Off Our Streets.'
Also on Patrick's list is a proposal titled 'Stopping Drag Time Story Hour.' In 2023, the Legislature passed a bill criminalizing performers that put on sexually explicit shows in front of children, as well as any businesses that host them. Originally designed as legislation to restrict minors from attending certain drag shows, lawmakers agreed on bill language that removed direct reference to drag performers.
Patrick's list included several items that he had already announced as priorities, including increasing the school homestead exemption — the amount that homeowners can shave off the taxable value of their main residence — from $100,000 to $140,000. Also near the top of the list, as expected, was Patrick's proposal to ban all forms of consumable tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.
The bill was designated as Senate Bill 3, a low bill number that signals it is among his highest priorities for the session. The top two bills are the state budget, Senate Bill 1, and a voucher-like education savings account program, Senate Bill 2. Patrick said Tuesday that the Senate would pass SB 2 next week if Gov. Greg Abbott names it as an 'emergency item' — allowing lawmakers to fast-track it earlier in the session — at his State of the State speech this weekend.
In a statement, Patrick said his priorities outline how the Texas Senate 'will continue to lead as the preeminent legislative body in America by passing our bold, conservative agenda, helping President Trump deliver on his promise of making America great again.'
He promised to release 15 more priority bills soon, for a total of 40.