Special Session, Round 2…
One day into the new special session, the icy relationship between the Texas House and Senate has not yet thawed after the first special session ended in deadlock. Brandon Waltens has the details.
As a reminder: All legislation constitutionally resets with each special session – requiring votes of the two chambers, according to their processes, to advance legislation.
The House is advancing the same legislation it did in the first special session: putting $12.3 billion toward the compression of school taxes – fulfilling to the letter the call issued by Gov. Greg Abbott. The House has not yet passed their measure for this special session.
The Senate, meanwhile, has. Senators are also sticking to their plan of using the $12.3 billion to compress tax rates and increase the “homestead exemption” so that homeowners get a larger break. In addition, the Senate’s tax plan exempts more small businesses from the state’s gross margins tax.
Also yesterday, senators unanimously added a $2,000 bonus payment to teachers in urban school districts and $6,000 to rural districts. That has an estimated price tag of $3.2 billion. It was advanced by State Sen. Roland Gutierrez (D-San Antonio), who has been rumored to be a potential candidate for the U.S. Senate against Ted Cruz.
The Senate’s tax relief and teacher bonus measures were both sent to the House.
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