The Texas legislative session has reached another key milestone: the deadline for lawmakers to file bills. With the session lasting 140 days, legislators have had the first 60 days to introduce their proposals, and as of 6 p.m. today, that window has officially closed.
In total, 5,646 bills were filed in the Texas House and 3,028 in the Senate, excluding resolutions. From this point forward, new bills can only be introduced if a lawmaker secures a four-fifths majority vote in their respective chamber to suspend the rule—a high hurdle that ensures only the most urgent or widely supported measures can still be considered.
The 60-day mark also signals another major shift: all filed legislation is now eligible for debate and votes. Until now, lawmakers could only take action on bills designated as emergency priorities by Gov. Greg Abbott or those that received the rare four-fifths approval to bypass the restriction.
So far, the Senate has wasted little time advancing Abbott’s legislative priorities, including property tax relief, school choice, increased teacher pay, and bail reform. In contrast, the House has yet to pass a single bill.
With the bill-filing deadline now behind them, lawmakers will turn their attention to committee hearings and floor debates before the regular session adjourns on June 2.
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