House Setting Own Agenda

AUSTIN - While the Texas Senate is speeding through approving the governor's conservative special session bills, lawmakers across the Capitol rotunda are taking their time and setting their own agenda on their own pace, much to the ire of tea party Republicans. Lawmakers are limited to passing bills that pertain to the governor's special session call, which this summer includes property tax reform, several abortion restricts, curbing local government regulations and several issues related to teachers and education. The House has slow-walked the beginning of the special session, having given initial approval of the governor's must-pass bill to extend operations of the Texas Medical Board and other agencies until Monday, although the Senate had passed that bill last Thursday and hopes to pass bills codifying the governor's agenda early this week. House committees began hearing bills in earnest Monday, including the Public Education Committee, which considered legislation that would revise the state's beleaguered school funding formula that lawmakers have referred to as "lawful but awful."