February has concluded and with 37 committees formed and nearly 3,700 bills filed, the 88th Legislative Session officially off and running. #TxLege is moving at mach speed, so here's a reminder of what happened in February…
Committees have assembled and begun meeting
The Texas House Republican Caucus appointed its Policy Committee
House Speaker Phelan and Governor Abbott outlined their priorities
Members continue filing bills ahead of the March 10th deadline
Republicans received committee assignments and hold the majority of committee chairmanships and vice-chairmanships. Members kicked off their committee work, meeting regularly to develop a guiding framework and holding hearings with key stakeholders. Inside the Texas House Republican Caucus, 16 members were elected or appointed to the Policy Committee, which brings together leaders from around the state to analyze and recommend bills to their fellow members.
Additionally, House Speaker Dade Phelan announced the first of many legislative priorities, including bills to keep all Texas families safe and secure online, expanding healthcare care coverage for new mothers, and legislation focused on ensuring the future of Texas’s economic prosperity.
Governor Greg Abbott also shared his emergency priorities in his State of the State Address from San Marcos, which include securing the border, fighting the fentanyl crisis, cutting property taxes, promoting educational freedom, protecting school safety, ending revolving door bail, and ending COVID-19 restrictions.
Strong actions are expected throughout the 88th Legislative Session on each of these issues.
By mid-March, members will spend more time in committees and on the house floor, arguing for and against bills that impact their constituents. To make sure you don’t miss a minute, be sure to watch the House’s proceedings live via the Video-Audio section of the Texas House website and check the archives to watch committee hearings you may have missed.