This session under the pink dome has included a number of contentious news conferences, a slew of dying (or dead) bills, an eventual budget compromise and a last stand on Senate Bill 4, a bill to ban sanctuary cities, sparking a massive protest in the House gallery that ended with hundreds of protestors being ejected.
So, what's next?
The budget for the next biennium is the only bill the Legislature must pass each session, and that already received approval from both chambers the weekend before "Sine Die"—the last day of the Legislature. But there are further unfinished matters.
The legislature failed to pass key sunset bills—pieces of legislation that extend the life of state agencies. Without such legislation passing, the agencies, including the Texas Medical Board, which licenses doctors in the time of a Texas doctor shortage, would shut down.
In the late days of the legislative session, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick attempted to wield power over the House by leveraging the passage of this bill to pass bills related to transgender bathroom policy and property tax regulation.
"All I have to do is just not move on one key bill," Patrick said in a radio interview. "That's a tool in my toolbox."
Patrick kept his promise and the sunset bill did not pass the Senate by an important midnight deadline on Sunday.
This alone, could beg a call from Gov. Greg Abbott for a special session, an extension of time, allowable in 30-day increments, that would allow lawmakers to act on very specific charges.
These charges are alone issued by the governor, however, despite calls by Patrick to issue a special session for his own priorities.
Abbott emphasized his power in the matter at the bill signing of House Bill 100, a bill that would create statewide blanket regulations for ride-hailing companies.
He said he would be making an announcement on the potential of a special session before the end of the week.
"When it gets to a special session, the time and the topics are solely up to the governor in the state of Texas," Patrick said.
Based on the per diem rate of $190 per day for each member of the Legislature and the lieutenant governor, a special session could cost upward of $1 million for 30 days.
Abbott did not call a special session following the last legislative session, but former governors have relied on this tactic to get bills passed in overtime. Former Gov. Rick Perry called three following the 83rd legislative session and and one each for the 82nd and 81st sessions.
