The Blast - June 4, 2025

3 days until the local election runoffs
18 days until the governor’s veto deadline

IN TODAY’S BLAST

• Less than 1 in 7 bills made it to Abbott in 89(R)

• TLR lashes out at LaHood, Burrows

• Tort reform spat helps mend fences

• Abbott channels Governator after special session query

LESS THAN 1 IN 7 BILLS MADE IT TO ABBOTT IN 89(R)

When it comes to legislative bill-passing, quantity doesn’t mean quality.

That said, this year’s Legislature passed the lowest percentage of Senate and House bills since 1991, the earliest data available.

Of the 8,719 bills introduced by lawmakers in either chamber this session, 13.9% made it to Gov. Greg Abbott’s desk. Among the big-ticket items that made it across the finish line were school vouchers, a THC ban, tighter bail laws and property tax cuts.

This session’s passage rate was well below the 22% average for regular sessions, but only a slight drop from the 2021 and 2023 sessions, which saw 15.5% of bills make it through both chambers.

The total doesn’t include bills passed during special sessions, which aren’t subject to the same dynamics as a regular session. It also doesn’t include resolutions, which are typically commemorations of certain days or companies, such as Whataburger, or recognitions of Texans — like Beyoncé.

So, why the low number of bills passed this year?

For one, the House leveraged the local and consent calendar less this session than it has previously, thanks in part to maneuvering by hardliners in the Republican caucus. The local and consent calendar allows the House to pass non-controversial bills en masse.

Andrew Cates, an Austin attorney and expert on legislative procedure, says the typical priority-setting or bill-writing process can get delayed when a new speaker is elected, especially after a contentious race like the one that culminated in Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, winning the gavel.

A speaker needs time to hire staff and assign new committee members and chairs, for example.

However, the House’s committee assignments and the date of the first House calendar lined up perfectly with last session, even though Burrows got a delayed start.

And although the Legislature passed fewer bills overall, senators filed more bills than in 2023, and their legislation passed at a slightly higher clip, from 19.1% last session to 19.3% this session.

Cates also cited a Texas Legislative Council memo in January that noted an all-time high of bill drafting requests — 9,000 in the first month of the session.

“I think it’s going to be probably closer to the new norm, not because they’re necessarily passing fewer bills, but they’re passing a lower percentage of those filed,” he said.

— Sameea Kamal

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TLR LASHES OUT AT LAHOOD, BURROWS

After Texans for Lawsuit Reform accused freshman state Rep. Marc LaHood of throttling some of their top legislation, the San Antonio Republican is defending his honor — and fostering goodwill with Speaker Dustin Burrows and committee chair Jeff Leach in the meantime.

TLR, an Austin powerhouse that advocates for a more business-friendly legal environment, had an abnormally unproductive session this year, highlighted by the death of Senate Bill 30, a shared priority with Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick that would have limited “nuclear verdicts.” But the lobby group came up short on other priorities, as well.

Another Patrick-TLR priority was Senate Bill 39, which addressed payouts from lawsuits against trucking companies and other commercial vehicle owners. A third victim was Senate Bill 779, which aimed to limit public nuisance claims. TLR did get a win with the passage of House Bill 40, which would expand the role of Texas’ recently created business courts.

Yesterday, in a memo summarizing the group’s session, TLR president and general counsel Lee Parsley blamed LaHood for resisting SB 30 and dooming SB 39 and SB 779 in the House Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee by leaving a hearing before either bill came up for a vote. LaHood was the key swing vote whose support could have advanced both measures.

Responding this morning, LaHood accused TLR and their allies of ignoring his concerns about the trucking bill. He said he left the hearing to lay out a bill in another committee, not to “run from a fight or a tough vote” on SB 39 and SB 779. He was back before the committee had adjourned, and while they were still taking votes — just not on SB 39 or SB 779.

“There was a path to getting something done this session to address bad actors in the legal and medical spaces,” said LaHood, a personal injury attorney. “Had it not been for TLR’s duplicitous negotiations, broken commitments, and relentless disrespect for our elected servants, we would’ve gotten there.”

TORT REFORM SPAT HELPS MEND FENCES

LaHood successfully primaried Rep. Steve Allison last year in a seat once held by former Republican Speaker Joe Straus, snapping a streak of reliable moderates in the district. According to Parsley, “We feared from the outset that Mr. LaHood was not philosophically aligned with the business community, and we were right.”

TLR’s PAC gave Allison nearly $100,000 during the primary, which LaHood won by 14 points. They turned around and gave him nearly $300,000 in the general election, as the district was one of only a few battlegrounds in the Legislature.

Although LaHood voted against Dustin Burrows for House speaker in January and didn’t always fall in line with leadership this session, the TLR spat has brought out words of support between the two sides.

In addition to attacking LaHood, Parsley blamed Burrows for condemning TLR’s bills at the outset by putting too many members on the JCJ committee who opposed the group’s “critically important tort reform.” LaHood shot back that TLR was making a “ham-fisted attempt to shirk responsibility for their poorly drafted” bills.

“Speaker Burrows was fair-handed and allowed the House to work on these issues in a deliberative manner,” LaHood said. “I stand by him and his leadership and am proud to serve in the House under him. TLR’s failure is their own.”

That’s a strong vote of confidence for Burrows from a former adversary. Burrows will hope to expand his support with House Republicans in the 2027 speaker election after only 36 of 88 GOP members voted for him this January.

Rep. Jeff Leach, the Plano Republican who chairs the Judiciary and Civil Jurisprudence Committee, backed up LaHood’s characterization of how the May 21 hearing went down. In another moment of reconciliation, Leach, a Burrows lieutenant, said he decided not to call SB 39 and SB 779 for a vote knowing that LaHood — his “colleague and friend,” and the deciding vote — was going to vote no.

“[Chair Leach] always acted to bring people together regardless if there was disagreement,” LaHood responded. “He always put the committee and members first. Thank you for speaking truth.”

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ABBOTT CHANNELS GOVERNATOR AFTER SPECIAL SESSION QUERY

While Gov. Greg Abbott claimed victory on bail at a bill signing ceremony in Houston yesterday, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick name-checked the Harris County Democrats who helped sink the abandoned portions of the GOP bail package.

Senate Joint Resolution 87, which would automatically deny bail to the repeat offenders of some of the most violent felonies, died in the House after coming three votes shy of the 100-vote threshold for constitutional amendments. Patrick, raising his voice, listed off each local member who voted against the measure: Houston Reps. Alma Allen, Ana Hernandez, Ann Johnson, Christina Morales, Jon Rosenthal, Lauren Ashley Simmons, Senfronia Thompson, Armando Walle, Charlene Ward Johnson, Huberto Vo and Gene Wu, as well as Ron Reynolds in Fort Bend County.

“Whether it’s in a special session or the next session, we will not stop until these criminals and these illegal immigrants who are here committing crimes and killing little girls under a bridge are put in jail forever and never let out and never let out on bail or bond,” Patrick said.

In the moment, Abbott did not react to Patrick’s mention of a special session. But a reporter later asked for the governor’s opinion.

“They had a late start,” Abbott said of the latter components of the bail package. “They didn’t begin as early as my state of the state address, or even before that, so perhaps they need a little more time to come to fruition.”

“But to specifically answer your question, you can be assured that those other proposals, as Schwarzenegger would say, ‘They’re going to be back,’ and we are not done yet,” he said with an underwhelming Governator impression.

You’re still here? It’s over. Go home. Go.

• None.

We’re hosting a series of events across Texas that recap the major policy debates of the 2025 legislative session and what new legislation will mean for you. 

On June 13, we’ll be in Arlington to talk with North Texas legislators about the state budget, education, property taxes, water, social issues and more. State Rep. Mitch Little, R-Lewisville, and state Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, will join Tribune editor-in-chief Matthew Watkins and women’s health reporter Eleanor Klibanoff for a live recording of our TribCast podcast to discuss which bills passed, what didn’t make the cut and what the new laws mean for North Texans.

Doors open at The University of Texas at Arlington’s The Commons student center, Nueces Room, at 11:30 a.m., and the live recording of TribCast begins at noon. The Tribune will provide lunch.

RSVP today

HD-13: State Rep. Angelia Orr, R-Itasca, announced her reelection with endorsements from President Donald Trump, Gov. Greg Abbott and U.S. Rep. Jake Ellzey, R-Waxahachie. The Bosque County GOP censured Orr last week, with other counties getting ready to follow suit, according to Texas Scorecard.

HD-94: Former HD-97 candidate Cheryl Bean will run to succeed state Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, who endorsed her yesterday after announcing his retirement from the House on Monday. Bean lost the HD-97 Republican primary runoff in 2024, watching her 20-point lead from the first round slip away after Gov. Greg Abbott endorsed the eventual winner, John McQueeney.

Tarrant County: The Tarrant County Commissioners Court yesterday voted 3-2, along party lines, to adopt a new map of precinct boundaries. Minutes after the vote, Tinderholt announced he would run in Precinct 2. The seat, currently held by Commissioner Alisa Simmons, D-Arlington, will be a Republican-leaning district. Today, residents sued the county. The plaintiffs are represented by election attorney and former Texas Democratic Party general counsel Chad Dunn.

• After heckling House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick this session, state Rep. Brian Harrison, R-Midlothian, roped Gov. Greg Abbott into his rhetoric when he sent the governor a letter yesterday calling for a veto of the budget, the THC ban and 11 other bills. He also urged the governor to call a special session on property taxes.

• Abbott declined to say whether he will veto the THC ban, Senate Bill 3, saying it is one of more than 1,000 bills on his desk that he plans to read. “I will give all of those pieces of legislation the consideration and time that they deserve,” Abbott said.

• Gov. Greg Abbott will be in Midland tomorrow with U.S. Commerce Secretary Don Evans, Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick, state Sen. Kevin Sparks, state Rep. Tom Craddick, state Rep. Brooks Landgraf and Midland Mayor Lori Blong to tout oil and gas industry bills from the recent session.

Do you or someone in your office have a new job you’d like mentioned? Email us.

• Today is Sameea Kamal’s last day at The Texas Tribune. A big thank you to her for being a politics team ringer this session.

• The Austin American-Statesman’s Bayliss Wagner will be the paper’s next data and investigative reporter.

“Feds sue Texas over long-standing law allowing undocumented students to receive in-state tuition” by Eleanor Klibanoff and Jessica Priest of The Texas Tribune

“Months after detaining 47 people accused of being Tren de Aragua in Austin, authorities offer no evidence of gang ties” by Alejandro Serrano of The Texas Tribune

“Hundreds of thousands of dollars poured into Irving City Council runoff election” by Chase Rogers of The Dallas Morning News

“Lina Hidalgo lags behind Harris County commissioners on campaign funds” by John Lomax V of the Houston Chronicle

“BlackRock is off Texas’ blacklist. Where the ESG battle stands now.” by Jack Pitcher of The Wall Street Journal

Do you or someone in your office have a birthday you’d like mentioned? Email us.

(June 5) State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, D-San Antonio

SPONSOR MESSAGES 

The University of Texas at San Antonio - Governor Abbott signed House Bill 150 at UTSA Monday, creating Texas Cyber Command to strengthen statewide cybersecurity efforts.

Chad Cantella is a political insider specializing in education, healthcare, criminal justice and workforce. Learn more about his work.

Episcopal Health Foundation - See why one of the largest health foundations in Texas is doubling down on its bet to improve health for those most in need. Here’s a hint: it’s not only about seeing a doctor.

Disclosure: Texans for Lawsuit Reform has been a financial supporter of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune's journalism. Find a complete list of them here.