By Sanford Nowlin
While the Texas House and Senate are more unified than they have been in years, they’re still not likely to tackle the state’s toughest issues.
For the first time in at least 15 years, both houses of the Texas Legislature appear fully unified with the governor’s conservative agenda.
After a string of Texas House speakers — starting with San Antonio’s Joe Straus — who saw themselves as moderating forces, Texas Rep. Dustin Burrows, the GOP lawmaker now in that role, appears to be on the same page as fellow Republicans Gov. Greg Abbott and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
Despite early Republican infighting over Burrows’ selection as speaker, the trio appear to be firmer footing than last session, when then-Speaker Dade Phelan openly traded jabs on social media with Patrick, who presides over the Senate.
While that’s good news for those eager to see the Lone Star State continue its rightward lurch, it doesn’t bode well for the Legislature tackling some of the state’s most pressing problems.
The new unity could be put to use expanding health care access, giving the state a much-need increase in public school funding or shoring up vital public services decimated by Trump administration cuts.
Instead, political observers said it will likely ensure that conservative priorities such as school vouchers, a ban on THC-containing hemp products and new voting restrictions are prioritized during the session.
“I think what you see this session is that Abbott, Patrick and [Attorney General Ken] Paxton have cleared the field,” said Cal Jillson, a political science professor at Southern Methodist University. “Republican leadership in both houses is moving forward in much closer step with the governor’s agenda.”
Read the full article in the San Antonio Current.
April 2, 2025.
