Texas House Sends Final Bills to Senate

Hundreds bills were left on the chopping block as a midnight deadline came and went in the Texas House.

Among the bills now headed to the Texas Senate: a death penalty ban for the mentally ill, bail reform to protect poor defendants, a constitutional amendment for voters to ensure there's never a state income tax, curbside voting for parents of young children, and phasing-out red light cameras statewide.

Those that died in the House include a tax on e-cigs and vapes, the tax swap pushed to lower property taxes by raising the state sales tax, and the so-called “Save Chick-fil-A” bill that would have protected religious individuals and organizations from attacks by government entities.

A requirement for roofers to register with the state and a proposed change to the 22-students-per-class limits for K through fourth grade also failed to pass the House.

Meanwhile, a bill to clarify the definition of "sexual contact" in a student-teacher relationship to make it easier for prosecutors to go after perpetrators, received approval around 11:30 p.m.

Bills expanding medical marijuana passed earlier in the week.

If a bill has accompanying legislation approved in the Senate, it can still move forward in the House. And a lawmaker could always try to tack on their proposals to another bill on the same subject as an amendment.

The legislative session ends May 27.


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