3 bills with a big impact at the end of the 85th legislative session
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SB 6, the bathroom bill, was passed in mid-March in the upper chamber but made no additional movement in the House. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick threatened a special session should the issue fail. The House passed weaker provisions, which the Senate rejected, thus killing the bill.
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SB 2, the property tax bill, was sponsored by state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston, and initially capped property tax rates from growing more than 5 percent annually, after which an election would be triggered. The House version stripped out this provision.
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HB 21, the school finance bill, came amid calls to fix public school financing. The House proposal returned from the Senate with a school voucher provision attached for special needs students. House members refused the proposal, killing the bill.
