Overview
- On Monday, outgoing Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick publicly urged Republican state senators to rewrite Texas Senate rules to remove the practical powers that have long belonged to the lieutenant governor.
- The Texas Constitution only gives the lieutenant governor the right to preside over the Senate and cast tie-breaking votes; committee appointments, agenda control and budget influence come from Senate rules that a simple majority can change.
- Republicans hold a 19-12 Senate majority now and have been meeting informally to weigh rule changes, but the outcome is unresolved and could shift if vacant seats are filled by special elections.
- Lt. Gov.-elect Vikki Goodwin has been meeting with senators from both parties, presenting an agenda that includes raising K-12 funding, redirecting money from Education Savings Accounts and expanding Medicaid while pressing for a collaborative Senate.
- Patrick said he will not run again but plans to stay active through a new firm, Patrick Strategies, and his 12 years of rule-driven control in the Senate explain why a change to chamber rules would reshape who sets Texas policy.