The deadline for House lawmakers to approve legislation from the Senate passed Tuesday night, killing conservative legislation as Democrats “chubbed” for hours and Republicans stood aside.
Senate Bill 163 by State Sen. Donna Campbell (R–New Braunfels) would have required that Texas schools allow parents to opt into sexual education for their children, rather than opt out of it, thereby letting parents knowingly make the decision as to whether their child will learn human sexuality in public schools fraught with leftist ideologies.
Senate Bill 595 by State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst (R–Brennan) would have required parental consent for psychological or psychiatric examination, testing, or treatment conducted by a school district employee.
Senate Bill 2208 by State Sen. Tan Parker (R–Flower Mound) would have restored the powers of the attorney general’s office to prosecute election fraud.
Senate Bill 1515 by State Sen. Ken King (R–Canadian) would have required public schools to display a poster of the Ten Commandments in every classroom.
Senate Bill 177 by State Sen. Mayes Middleton (R–Galveston) would require a person or entity to obtain an individual’s “informed consent” before administering a vaccination for COVID-19. It would also prohibit any action intended to “compel or coerce” an individual into giving such consent, as well as prohibit taking an “adverse action” against someone for refusing to receive a vaccination for COVID-19.
Senate Bill 2021 by State Sen. Angela Paxton (R–McKinney) would have required a publisher or distributor of sexually explicit online content to create an 18+ age verification in order to view the content.
Senate Bill 1104 by State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R–Granbury) would have curtailed and outlined the authority of the Legislature, governor, and certain political subdivisions with respect to disasters and emergencies.
In addition to the bills that died at the hands of the clock, others died at the hands of Speaker Dade Phelan and House members.
One of those bills was Senate Bill 2424 by State Sen. Brian Birdwell (R–Granbury), which would have made it a crime for a non-U.S. citizen to enter the state from a foreign country in a manner not authorized by U.S. immigration officials. After Phelan threatened to sustain a point of order brought by Democrats on the bill, it was postponed until after the session ends—killing the bill.
The same fate met legislation seeking to restrict bail for violent offenders, as well as an extension of Texas’ call for a constitutional convention—which currently expires in 2025.
As the clock struck midnight, House lawmakers cheered and all Senate bills that had yet to receive House approval died.
For the final few days of the session, both chambers will approve—or reject—changes made to legislation passed by the House and the Senate. The legislative session ends on Monday, May 29.
