As the 89th Texas legislative session ends, local State Rep. is concerned property tax priorities were ignored

ELLIS COUNTY – Ellis County State Rep, District 10, Brian Harrison said at midnight on the last night to pass house bills last week, “We gaveled in on January 14, why did we not vote on a single bill until April 1?”

He was addressing Texas Speaker of the House, Republican Dustin Burrows.

Burrows told Harrison, “That is not a parliamentary inquiry.”

Harrison rephrased and said, “There are hundreds of bills on today’s calendar. Do any of these eliminate or lower property tax?”

Burrows again stated, “That is not a parliamentary inquiry.”

Harrison tried again, “Have we had a single bill brought to the floor of this house to eliminate property tax or even allows us to debate reducing or eliminating property tax?”

Burrows again, “That is not a parliamentary inquiry.”

“I counted 160 Democrat bills on today’s calendar,” Harrison said. “Why have you prioritized hundreds of bills over the eight legislative priorities by the Republican Party of Texas?” 

Yet again, Burrows response, “That is not a parliamentary inquiry.”

Harrison said, “With all due respect those may be the most appropriate questions ever asked…”

Burrows asked again, “Mr. Harrison for what purpose?”

Parliamentary inquiry yet again

Are you wondering what “parliamentary inquiry” means?

According to www.lawinsider.com, “Directing a question to the Chair to obtain information on a matter of parliamentary law or the rules of the Council bearing on the business at hand in order to assist a member to make an appropriate motion, raise a point of order, or understand the parliamentary situation or the effect of a motion.” 

It is safe to say there will be no property tax bills addressed at the 89th regular legislative session. 

As of May 14, there were 219 bills passed by Texas lawmakers during this session of the 8,700 filed for the 89th legislative session.

The session officially is over June 2.

The only bill Texas lawmakers had to pass was the state’s budget (SB1). 

The Texas House took 13 hours on their end to do that, and overall, Senate Bill 1 passed with a vote of 118 to 26.

Texas Governor Gregg Abbott has only signed one bill into law so far this session, “Texas Doge.” 

It is uncertain if the Gov. will call a special session for the 89th session, there were four special sessions called during the 88th legislative session.