More than halfway into the Legislature’s session, the Texas House will finally consider its first set of bills.
None of them, however, are priorities of either the Republican Party of Texas or Gov. Greg Abbott.
Instead, the House Calendars Committee—chaired by State Rep. Dustin Burrows (R–Lubbock)—has approved eight bills for consideration next Tuesday and Wednesday.
The first bill to be voted on by members is legislation to remove the phrase “mentally retarded” from state law, replacing it with the more politically correct “severe intellectual disability.”
The next bill would remove sales tax from tampons, diapers, and other similar products.
Other legislation on the calendars would regulate the use of the phrase “Texas honey,” allow fireworks sales on the Hindu holiday of Diwali, exempt those with mental illnesses from the death penalty, and authorize firefighters to drive patients in non-EMS vehicles.
When the House begins to vote on these bills, it will be 78 days into the state’s 140-day regular session.
The Senate, meanwhile, began passing bills on March 8, almost three weeks earlier.
The full House calendars may be viewed here:
Tuesday, March 28
Wednesday, March 29
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