May 18, 2025
NEWS DIGEST
by Brandon Waltens
Good morning,
The Texas House of Representatives has once again run out the clock. As of midnight on Thursday, the deadline for House bills to be passed on second reading has expired, leaving hundreds of pieces of legislation dead for the session.
Despite having months to act, the House spent much of the early session at a crawl, taking frequent long weekends and moving relatively few bills. In the first months of the session, numerous conservative members highlighted the coming logjam by objecting to the early adjournments. The result was a bloated calendar on the final day, with a 30-page document listing hundreds of bills awaiting action.
There was never any realistic chance lawmakers would get to them all. Adding to the backlog, House Democrats employed a time-wasting tactic known as “chubbing”—deliberately extending debate on bills to slow progress and kill legislation further down the list.
One of the more controversial bills that did make it across the finish line was House Bill 3441 by State Rep. Shelley Luther, which passed 99-43. The bill would allow individuals to sue vaccine manufacturers if a vaccine they advertised caused harm. The measure seeks to carve out a state-level exception to federal protections for vaccine makers.
A high-profile casualty, however, was House Bill 3219 by State Rep. Joanne Shofner, which would have required the Texas commissioner of state health services to issue a statewide order allowing pharmacists to dispense ivermectin without a prescription.
Other conservative priorities, like those ending in-state tuition for illegal aliens or mandating E-Verify for employers, didn’t even make it to the calendar.
The session is not over, however.
Legislation that originated in the Senate is still eligible to be considered in the House in the coming weeks, giving conservative activists and House lawmakers a last chance to push their priorities.
Featured
The Texas Senate has unanimously passed legislation to abolish the Texas Lottery Commission, transferring oversight of the state lottery to a different agency amid mounting concerns of corruption and mismanagement.
Senate Bill 3070, filed by State Sen. Bob Hall and passed 31-0, would move control of the lottery to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation, institute a number of new safeguards, and prohibit the use of lottery courier services—companies that have illegally sold lottery tickets online. The legislation now heads to the House for consideration.
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, who has been vocal in his effort to shut down the commission, released a video after the vote celebrating the passage and outlining what he called a long-overdue crackdown.
Real Texans
In this week’s edition of REAL TEXANS, Daniel Greer visits with State Sen. Bob Hall about the Texas Lottery. The conversation covers the history of gambling in Texas, the proper roles of government, and the future (or lack thereof) of the Texas Lottery.
New interviews with REAL TEXANS every Sunday!
State
‘Follow the Silenced’ Sheds Light on the Reality of COVID-19 Vaccine Injuries
The new documentary recently premiered for the first time in Texas at the Bob Bullock Museum.
Gov. Abbott Requests Waiver to Ban Unhealthy SNAP Purchases in Texas
Texas now awaits a response from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the SNAP program.
Texas Moves Closer To Abolishing Public Schools’ Immunity in Sex Abuse Cases
The House-passed GOP-priority measure allows victims to hold school districts liable for employees’ crimes of sexual misconduct or failure to report suspected abuse.
Local
Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo Requests $23K for Trip to France
Hidalgo would lead the delegation and take three county employees.
Gillespie County GOP Resolves to Hand-Count Votes, Ban Countywide Polling in Primary
Disputes linger over whether the party can control early voting.
Blue Ridge Disannexes Muslim-owned Properties
A new city council voted to undo past annexations but keep the sites of planned Islamic developments in the city’s extraterritorial jurisdiction.
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