Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has announced the second round of his top 40 priority bills for the 89th regular legislative session in Texas. The session, which began at a fast pace, has already seen the passage of ten priority bills from the Senate to the Texas House.

"The Texas Senate has started the 89th regular legislative session at breakneck pace," said Lt. Gov. Patrick. "We have already passed 10 of my top 40 priority bills over to the Texas House."

Among these are Senate Bill 2, which provides school choice, and Senate Bill 4, which increases the homestead exemption to $140,000 ($150,000 for seniors). Other notable bills include Senate Bill 5, establishing the Dementia Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (DPRIT), and Senate Bill 9 on bail reform.

Patrick emphasized that this rapid progress aims to ensure these bills reach Governor Abbott's desk promptly. He expressed optimism about working with Speaker Burrows and noted that this could be a productive session for Texans, particularly conservatives.

"Today, I am announcing the second round of my top 40 priority bills – Senate Bills 26-40," he added. These include measures such as increasing teacher pay (Senate Bill 26) and establishing a Teacher Bill of Rights (Senate Bill 27).

Patrick assured that even if a bill is not among his top priorities, it remains important to him and the Senate. He highlighted other significant issues like border security and disaster relief included in the state budget.

"The Texas Senate is the finest, most deliberative legislative body in America," Patrick said. "Our goal is to have all 40 of my, the senators’, and the people’s priority bills passed by mid-April."

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