Texas state lawmakers have yet to send Gov. Greg Abbott a single bill to sign from the special session, and with less than two weeks to go.
Now it's appearing highly unlikely the governor will get his entire 20-item agenda through the special session process.
“When you see state Rep. Sarah Davis, R-Houston, come up with a bill based on ethics that has nothing to do with the special session, you know they're up there wasting time,” says Don Hooper, an energy executive who writes for Big Jolly Politics.
Hooper says there's a lot of politicking going on in Austin, but little to do with actual policy. Many blame Speaker Joe Straus for trying to retain his power in the House.
“If they do kill the goals and objectives of the governor and lieutenant governor, the Democrats who put Straus there will think they won the battle and Straus is their guy and they'll need to continue to ride that horse,” he says.
However, Hooper believes Abbott only called the special session to fend off a possible challenge by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick.
“The special session is going to die, I don't think Abbott will call another one, but it will depend mostly on whether or not Patrick intends to run against Abbott in the Republican primary,” he says.