2025 Texas Legislative Session Kicks Off; New Speaker of the House Elected

Every other January, lawmakers from every corner of the State of Texas convene in Austin for the start of the regular legislative session. This year, the regular session started on January 14^th and will conclude on June 2^nd.  In this compressed time period, members of the Texas House and Senate set the state budget and consider legislation on every topic imaginable.  THLA works to ensure that Texas remains a friendly place for lodging businesses to operate and for meetings and events to take place.

89^th Legislative Session

On January 14^th, the first day of the 89^th Legislative Session, members of the House of Representatives elected its Speaker of the House for the session.  Two-term Speaker Dade Phelan ultimately decided against seeking reelection for another term as Speaker, resulting in a two-party race between Rep. Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) and Rep. David Cook (R-Mansfield).  On the second ballot, Rep. Burrows prevailed, in large part by winning the support of most House Democrats and 35 House Republicans. 

In the Texas Senate, there were few surprises from the first week of the Session.  Longstanding incumbent Lt. Governor Dan Patrick, who presides over the Texas Senate, quickly released the composition of the Senate Committees for the Session.  Of particular note was the formation of  a new committee, the Economic Development Committee, chaired by Senator Phil King (R-Weatherford).  We anticipate that many hotel occupancy tax bills, as well as MERP and ETF bills, will likely be referred to the new Economic Development Committee.

In addition to the Speaker’s race, several contentious issues remain percolating at the Capitol. Many mostly rural, House Republicans lost their May primary race to challengers considered more friendly to supporting school vouchers. School vouchers remain a top priority for Governor Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick.  Legislators will spend a great deal of time debating and considering private school “vouchers” or “school choice” issues.  And in the aftermath of the failed effort to impeach and remove Attorney General Paxton, there will be efforts to “reform” the process for impeaching elected officials.

Important Dates

• January 14: First day of the 89^th Regular Legislative Session
• March 14: 60^th Day of the Session.  This is the deadline for the filing of most bills.  This is also the starting date for the passage of non-emergency bills.
• May 12: Last day for House committees to report out House Bills.
• May 15: Last day for the House to consider House bills on the House Floor.
• May 16: Last day for the House to consider House local and consent calendar bills.
• May 27: Last day the House to consider Senate bills on the House Floor.
• May 28: Last day the House to consider Senate local and consent calendar bills.
• May 30: Last day for the House to act on Senate amendments to House bills.
• June 1: Last day for the House to act on Senate amendments to House bills.  Last day for the Senate to concur in House amendments to Senate bills.
• June 2: Sine die (last day of the Session).
• June 22: Last day for the Governor to sign or veto bills.

THLA’s Agenda 

With so many battles taking place at the Capitol, we are all expecting a contentious session.  For THLA’s agenda, our priorities are as follows: 

• Ensuring tourism public improvement districts (TPIDs) remain viable and effective;
• Full funding for the State tourism promotion program;
• Ensuring local hotel occupancy tax revenues remain dedicated to increasing hotel activity;
• Supporting the Major Events Reimbursement Program (MERP) and Events Trust Fund (ETF) programs and ensuring they remain healthy
• Supporting our partners at the Texas Media Production Alliance to provide state incentives for increased media production in Texas;
• Opposing broad-based efforts to preempt local short-term rental ordinances;
• Opposing repeal of the 30-day hotel occupancy tax exemption; and
• Opposing legislation that includes unreasonable facility requirements for hotels and oppose bills that include unreasonable personnel requirements for hotels.

THLA will release updates throughout the Legislative Session.  Stay tuned to Industry Update and other publications for more information.