Texas House swiftly passes property tax bill, abruptly adjourns
The Texas House basically just told Dan Patrick to shove it and to adopt the House's bill or wait for another special session. Dan Patrick had attack Speaker Phelan just after this special session was called.
https://www.texastribune.org/2023/05/30/texas-special-session-property-taxes/?utm_campaign=trib-social&utm_content=1685489240&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
After weeks of bickering over whose proposal to cut Texans property taxes is better, House Speaker Dade Phelan sent a clear message to Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, his Senate counterpart, on Tuesday: Take our pitch or leave the special session with nothing.
That message came when the House abruptly adjourned Tuesday after swiftly passing bills on property tax relief and migrant smuggling the sole items that Gov. Greg Abbott demanded from a special session that began Monday night.
The adjournment means the chamber cant meet for the rest of the special session, leaving the Senate to accept the version of the bills the House passed or not pass any bill this session.
That bold legislative gambit appeared to be an effort to force the Senate to accept two House bills one that would increase the minimum sentence for someone convicted of smuggling people and operating a stash house to at least 10 years under state law, and another that would use $12.3 billion in state funds to reduce school property taxes across the state.