Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) announced the first 25 of his 40 priority bills for the 89th legislative session on Wednesday.
Each session, senators introduce thousands of bills, with lower-numbered ones signaling priority. Traditionally, bills numbered 1-20 are reserved for key Senate initiatives. Patrick expanded this priority list to 30 bills in 2017 and increased it to 40 this year.
“A low bill number signals priority and a strong chance of passage,” Patrick said. “These bills reflect the will of Texas’ conservative majority, and many will receive bipartisan support.”
Key Legislative Priorities
Patrick released the first 25 priority bills, with the remaining 15 to be announced soon:
- SB 1 – State Budget
- SB 2 – School Choice Expansion
- SB 3 – Ban on THC Products
- SB 4 – Increased Homestead Exemption ($140,000; $150,000 for seniors)
- SB 5 – Dementia Prevention & Research Institute of Texas
- SB 6 – Strengthening the Electric Grid
- SB 7 – Expanding Water Supply Investments
- SB 8 – Requiring Local Law Enforcement to Assist Federal Deportation Efforts
- SB 9 – Bail Reform to Keep Violent Criminals Off the Streets
- SB 10 – Requiring Display of the Ten Commandments in Schools
- SB 11 – Protecting the Right to Pray in Schools
- SB 12 – Parental Bill of Rights in Public Education
- SB 13 – Restricting Inappropriate Books in Schools
- SB 14 – Improving Government Efficiency (Texas DOGE)
- SB 15 – Reducing Barriers to Affordable Housing
- SB 16 – Prohibiting Non-Citizen Voting
- SB 17 – Preventing Foreign Land Ownership by Adversaries
- SB 18 – Banning Drag Story Hour Events
- SB 19 – Ending Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying
- SB 20 – Criminalizing AI-Generated Child Exploitation Material
- SB 21 – Establishing a Texas Bitcoin Reserve
- SB 22 – Promoting Texas as a Film Industry Hub
- SB 23 – Lifting the Cap on the Rainy Day Fund
- SB 24 – Educating Students on the Dangers of Communism
- SB 25 – Improving Public Health in Texas
Patrick stressed that while these are top priorities, many other critical bills will advance.
“A bill not included in the top 40 doesn’t mean it’s not a priority,” he said. “Key issues like border security, additional state troopers, and disaster response are also addressed in the budget.”
The remaining 15 priority bills will be announced soon. For a complete list of filed bills, visit the Texas Legislature’s official website.
