One week from today, Texas lawmakers will return to Austin for a special session of the state legislature, and while bills have begun flowing into the state capitol, some see this as mostly a waste of time, News Radio 1200 WOAI reports.
"The Governor's call for the session misses the mark on priorities for the state," State Representative Rafael Anchia tells Newsradio 1200 WOAI. "There are 18 items, only two of which I feel are important."
There's a growing movement amongst Democratic and moderate representatives to merely pass a bill to renew the Texas Medical Board and quickly end the session.
Already bills have been filed to address some of the priorities Gov. Abbott set out when he announced the special session, such as HB 69, which deals with annexation. It's an issue that was important to San Antonio city leaders, who have battling over growth.
Another bill filed this week, HB 64, appropriates money from the economic stabilization fund to fund classroom teacher salary increases.
Bills have also been filed that go far outside what the governor set out as priorities for the special session. For example, HB 85 authorizing the possession, use, cultivation, distribution, transportation, and delivery of medical marijuana.
Then, there's the bathroom bill.
One of the first bills filed this week was HB 46, which reads that the state, including public school districts, "may not adopt or enforce an order, ordinance, policy, or other measure to protect a class of persons from discrimination to the extent that the order, ordinance, policy, or other measure regulates access to multiple-occupancy restrooms, showers, or changing facilities."
The biggest question among lawmakers is if any of these bills will see the light of day in a house controlled by Speaker Joe Strauss of Alamo Heights.
Around the halls of the state capitol, there's already a popular phrase: "Sunset and Sine Die." The sunset refers to a sunset bill that would reauthorize agencies like the Medical Board. Sine die is the end of session.
"Sunset and sine die, all day long," Rep Anchia said.