Dan Patrick

The Texas Legislature just gaveled out of their regular session Monday … and then right back in for a special session. If you’re wondering what’s going on (and what it all means), here’s a guide on what to expect from Texas politics this summer.

The Republican chair of the House Higher Education Committee said universities need to be able to offer tenure. But Democratic lawmakers and professors raised concerns that the House version of Senate Bill 18 still does too much to weaken tenure.

If passed, Senate Bill 18 would not allow public universities in Texas to offer professors tenure after September 1, 2023. However, the proposal would not affect professors who currently have tenure.

Senate Republicans have decided to focus on bills that target gender-affirming care for minors, drag performances, and school books that talk about gender and sexuality.

Supported by the Republican-led Senate, the 30 bills announced by Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on Monday have a high chance of passing.

The budget bills filed Wednesday would also allocate $600 million to the Texas Education Agency to help school districts “in implementing school safety initiatives.”

The Republican governor will serve his term with an expanded Republican majority in the Texas House and Senate, making it unlikely that his priorities will face significant roadblocks.

And Texas will have $188.2 billion in general revenue for the 2024-2025 fiscal year, a 26% increase from the last biennium.

Conservatives want to use part of the money to provide property tax relief. Progressives want to boost funding for public education.

Patrick, a Republican from Houston who holds the most powerful position in the state Legislature, said he believes his priorities could be accomplished if the state is “smart” in how it uses its over $27 billion surplus.