Texas Lawmakers Begin Filing Bills for a Divided Legislature

The filing window for bills in Texas opens on November 9, giving lawmakers an early chance to set priorities for the 90th legislative session, which begins January 12. Hundreds of proposals are expected on the first day, with thousands more to follow through March 12; most will not reach the governor’s desk.

The session will begin with Democrats holding the governorship and House, while Republicans retain a majority in the Senate. House Democrats will choose a speaker on the session’s first day. Rep. Senfronia Thompson said Friday she had secured enough votes to win the position.

Democratic Rep. Jolanda Jones plans to reintroduce a measure Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed in June. It would cover people held before trial who lack the means to post bond and have already spent the maximum period in custody for the possible penalty they could receive. Jones also hopes lawmakers will take up school vouchers, reproductive rights and health care access.

Hinojosa campaigned on reversing Republican education policies, including the school voucher law enacted in 2025. Democrats also campaigned on tighter limits for data center development, easing restrictions on consumable hemp products and reducing the cost of living. Hinojosa has said she wants to work with Republicans in the Senate, and named both Democrats and Republicans to her transition team.

Republican Manvel Mayor Dan Davis said voters want lawmakers to prioritize routine matters such as health insurance and household bills, rather than partisan disputes. Jones said she is open to cooperation with members of either party, but said lawmakers’ actions would need to show that commitment. Newly elected legislators can file bills after they are sworn in on January 12.

Democratic Leaders Face a Chance to Reverse Texas GOP Policies

The Texas Legislature’s bill-filing window opens November 9, beginning a session in which Democrats will hold the governorship and House while Republicans retain the Senate. The new balance gives lawmakers an opportunity to challenge policies Democrats campaigned against, including the state’s school voucher program.

Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa made reversing Republican education policy a central campaign pledge. Democrats also ran on tighter guardrails for data center development, relaxing rules for hemp-based ingestible goods and bringing down living expenses. The 2025 voucher law lets families use tax dollars for private schooling, and Rep. Jolanda Jones says school vouchers will be among the issues she wants lawmakers to address.

Jones plans to bring back a bill Abbott vetoed in June that would change rules for holding people before trial when they lack money for bail, after they have spent as long in custody as the potential penalty for their charge. She also wants action on reproductive rights and access to health care—concerns she says affect Texans in cities, suburbs and small towns alike.

Hinojosa has said she wants to work with Republican senators, and her transition team includes members of both parties. But cooperation cannot mean leaving contested policies untouched: Jones said she is prepared to collaborate with lawmakers from across the political spectrum while looking for actions to match that commitment. Hundreds of bills are expected on November 9, and the session begins January 12.

Texas Voters Want Lawmakers Focused on Everyday Concerns

Texas lawmakers start filing legislation on November 9, but the coming session should be judged by whether it tackles practical concerns rather than partisan fights. Republican Manvel Mayor Dan Davis said voters want attention to matters such as health insurance and paying bills, not Austin’s political and cultural battles.

The new Legislature will be divided: Democrats will hold the governor’s office and House, while Republicans retain their Senate majority. That split makes cooperation essential if lawmakers are to deliver on the day-to-day priorities Davis described. Gov.-elect Gina Hinojosa has said she hopes leaders from both parties will work together and has appointed Democrats and Republicans to her transition team.

Democrats campaigned on reversing Republican education policy, including the school voucher law passed in 2025. They also backed tighter guardrails on data center development, loosening rules for hemp-based ingestible goods and making life more affordable. Rep. Jolanda Jones says she wants lawmakers to revisit vouchers and take up reproductive rights and health care access, as well as a pretrial detention bill Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed in June.

The filing period continues through March 12, and hundreds of proposals are expected on its first day. Most will not reach the governor’s desk. The session begins January 12, when newly elected lawmakers can file bills and House Democrats will select a speaker. The test for the divided Legislature will be whether it can focus on shared, everyday needs instead of letting partisan priorities dominate.