(C) Texas Tribune This story was originally published by Texas Tribune and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . The Blast- May 16, 2025 [1] ['The Texas Tribune'] Date: 2025-05 Today is the House bill deadline for final passage 7 days until the House’s local bill deadline 11 days until the House’s Senate bill deadline 17 days until sine die Chip Roy’s old bosses are running against each other Canales ultimately got his way by pointing out a separate technical flaw, but several members of House leadership huddled with Troxclair after the spectacle, some scolding her for her actions. Canales accused Troxclair of distracting him before he was able to flag the technicality against the bill. As they were talking, the House took up an amendment by Troxclair that fixed the glitch Canales wanted to target. When the Democrat attempted to raise his point of order, the chair informed him that the House was no longer on the bill at-large. “A point of order on a bill can be raised at any time when a bill is before the House, including when an amendment is pending,” Burrows told the body. Finally, after the move by Rep. Ellen Troxclair , R-Lakeway, that undercut a point of order by Rep. Terry Canales , D-Edinburg, against her Camp Longhorn bill, HB 5151 , Speaker Dustin Burrows announced a clarification of House procedures upon reviewing the tape from last night. One Democrat speculated that Rep. Ryan Guillen , R-Rio Grande City, finally let it on the floor just before the deadline so someone would raise a point of order against it. Guillen could then postpone the bill to death on the pretense of saving time, potentially saving face for leadership — or the lobbyists — who couldn’t whip enough votes in support. We’d also like to circle back to House Bill 105 , the update to last session’s HB 5 that got postponed to death last night. Given the four previous times it was postponed this week — and given the Democrats and conservative hardliners who oppose the policy as a corporate handout — it looks as if leadership didn’t have the votes. Its death shouldn’t necessarily be attributed to running out of time. Technically the House still has until next Friday to pass local House bills off the local and consent calendar, but they’re not catching up. First, an update to our tally of House bills: When the House crosses tonight’s deadline for final passage, members will have passed 1,152 of the 5,644 bills filed this session, 20% of the chamber’s bills. That’s down from 1,516 of 4,297 House bills passed at the 2023 equivalent, 35% of the chamber’s bills. We’ve got a few housekeeping matters to follow up on after yesterday’s House bill deadline. Happy Friday, y’all. This is likely the Lege’s last real weekend before sine die. The Texas Tribune thanks its sponsors. Become one . CHIP ROY’S OLD BOSSES ARE RUNNING AGAINST EACH OTHER As U.S. Sen. John Cornyn gears up for the primary fight of his career next year, he’s teamed up with U.S. Rep. Chip Roy to push Gov. Greg Abbott’s request for back pay over Operation Lone Star — and political observers have taken note. Cornyn introduced legislation today to reimburse Texas for more than $11 million dollars in border operations. He identified junior Sen. Ted Cruz as a cosponsor and Roy, R-Austin, as a leader for the measure in the House. Although Roy hasn’t endorsed Cornyn for reelection, his feelings about Cornyn’s primary challenger, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, aren’t a secret. The Blast’s Washington-linked sources say Roy hates Paxton. “Effing hates” was how one put it, only a little less fit for print. Don’t take their word for it. Roy called on Paxton to resign in October 2020 after the attorney general faced bribery accusations. “Any grace for him to resolve differences and demonstrate if the allegations are false was eliminated by his choice instead to attack the very people entrusted, by him, to lead the office — some of whom I know well and whose character are beyond reproach,” Roy said in his 2020 statement. Roy began his political career working on then-Attorney General Cornyn’s 2002 Senate campaign and worked for him till 2009. He later moved to Paxton’s operation as first assistant attorney general — with stops working for Gov. Rick Perry and as chief of staff to U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz. “Chip has worked for both Cornyn and Paxton, so he’s looked under the hood in both situations,” a former Cornyn staffer told The Blast. “He’s only called for Paxton’s resignation,” they added later. But beyond the underlying politics of the primary, backing up Abbott and Texas on OLS is a good issue for them to harp on while they tout themselves as conservatives. Cornyn and Roy haven’t always been on the same page, but OLS reimbursement is a Republican middleground. Cornyn told the Tribune’s Katharine Wilson last week that he was not willing to vote for a budget reconciliation bill that does not include funds to reimburse Texas. He called any amount less than $11.1 billion “unacceptable.” [END] --- [1] Url: https://thetexastribune.beehiiv.com/p/the-blast-may-16-2025-b24ff383d2a412d5 Published and (C) by Texas Tribune Content appears here under this condition or license: Used with Permission: https://www.texastribune.org/republishing-guidelines/. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/texastribune/