Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has issued 57 charges for Senate committees to study in preparation for the 89th Legislature. Lt. Gov. Patrick made the following statement upon issuing the charges:

“The 57 interim charges I released today reflect issues that Texans have asked us to study. Our 31 senators submitted hundreds of ideas, with many senators sharing similar proposals. My staff and I worked diligently for weeks to review each request, and this is the first set of interim charges I am releasing in preparation for the 89th Legislature. We may release a second shorter list of additional charges before next session.

“The Senate’s work to study the list of charges will begin in the coming weeks and months. Following completion of hearings, committees will submit reports with their specific findings and policy recommendations before December 1, 2024.

“I thank the entire Texas Senate for their dedication and hard work, and I look forward to reviewing the committees’ recommendations. Come January 2025, the Senate will hit the ground running at the start of the 89th Legislative Session. The priorities of the conservative majority of Texans will be accomplished, including school choice, continued property tax relief, and strengthening the power grid.”

Lt. Gov. Patrick’s 2024 interim charges are posted here.

Five Incumbent Texas GOP House Member and Eighteen GOP House Candidates Call for Changes to House Operations

A group of Texas House GOP incumbents and candidates released a “Contract with Texas” calling for changes to the way the Texas House operates including:

1. Only solicit support for Speakership from Republican members
2. End the practice of awarding Democrats with committee chairmanships.
3. Ensure all GOP legislative priorities receive a floor vote before any Democrat bills.
4. Replace the current liberal Parliamentarians with staff committed to only offering advice on adherence to House rules, not to advancing their personal ideology.
5. Limit the Speaker to two terms to reduce their power over individual members.
6. Ensure there are no longer any Democrat-majority committees.
7. Stop parliamentary abuse by requiring only substantial adherence to House rules to keep hyper-technical points of order from killing good legislation.
8. Allow audio/video recording of all House proceedings, including point of order debates.
9. Start substantive work as soon as Session begins to end delays that kill priority legislation.
10. Reform the Calendars Committee to increase transparency and accountability.
11. Select a Republican as Speaker Pro Tempore
12. Decentralize power by prohibiting the distribution of political funds from the Speaker.

The signatories include Rep. Brian Harrison, Rep. J.M. Lozano, Rep. Nate Schatzline, Rep. Tony Tinderholt, Rep. Steve Toth, and GOP candidates – Cheryl Bean, Ben Bius, David Covey, Janis Holt, Andy Hopper, Helen Kerwin, Mitch Little, AJ Louderback, David Lowe, Shelley Luther, Don McLaughlin, Brent Money, Matt Morgan, Mike Olcott, Katrina Pierson, Keresa Richardson, Allen Schoolcraft and Wes Virdell.