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The Blast: That should send a message [1]

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Date: 2023-04 

SECOND-FLOOR FIREWORKS

With sine die fast approaching, tensions across the second floor are flaring, with most of the flames spewing from legislative leadership’s disagreements over property taxes.



While both chambers are on the same page that lawmakers must act to reduce property taxes on homeowners, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick has been increasingly vocal about his opposition to House Speaker Dade Phelan’s plan, House Bill 2, which passed the House 139-5 this morning.



Patrick went on a tweetstorm Wednesday, the eve of the House’s HB 2 discussions, ripping Phelan and Rep. Morgan Meyer, the Dallas Republican who is shepherding the bill.



Phelan and Meyer “still don’t understand appraisals have essentially been delinked to homeowner tax bills since 2019,” Patrick wrote.



“The Texas House is wrong & dug in,” he continued.



The next morning, as the House was preparing to take up HB 2, Patrick fielded a reporter’s question asking whether he intends to compromise on property taxes.



“Every now and then, you have to acknowledge, maybe you were wrong,” Patrick said, adding that the chamber’s unanimous vote on its property tax package sends a message.



On the House floor, after the House gave its preliminary vote on the bill, Phelan shot back at Patrick.



“That, too, should send a message, Mr. Meyer,” Phelan said.



Phelan appropriating Patrick’s line harkened back to when Patrick exchanged some snark with Phelan during dueling policy speeches earlier this session.



And last night, Patrick shared a tweet noting the pacing of bills passed by each chamber, comparing them to sessions past. The lieutenant governor used it as an opportunity to warn that conservative priorities might die if the House doesn’t hustle.



“Not our fault,” he wrote. “Help us help you.”



One priority that is moving is Senate Bill 14 and House Bill 1686, legislation to restrict certain gender-affirming care for minors. But while the Senate reversed course after initially amending the legislation to create a grace period for patients already on puberty blockers and hormone therapy, the House Public Health Committee amended similar language back into the package.



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