Accomplishments - Dan Patrick, Lieutenant Governor

88th Regular Session: Legislative Accomplishments

"Dan Patrick is the strongest lieutenant governor we’ve had in Texas political history, and that’s saying something because we’ve had some pretty strong lieutenant governors who have been able to rule their chamber with an iron fist.”

- Brandon Rottinghuas, Dallas Morning News, 12/27/2022

$17.6 billion

to combat skyrocketing property taxes,
the largest property tax cut in Texas history

$5.1 billion

for border security, the most in Texas history,
including funds for a new border force.

$5 billion

for cost-of-living adjustment for Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) retirees and for a one-time payment of $7,500 for retired teachers 75 and over and $2,400 for retired teachers 70-74.

$1.4 billion

for school safety measures, the most in Texas history.

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Lt. Governor Patrick’s 2023 Legislative Priority Bills

ALL 30 PRIORITIES PASSED THE TEXAS SENATE

State Budget

Senate Bill 1 (Passed as HB 1)

Restoring Voter Fraud to a Felony

Senate Bill 2 (Passed as HB 1243)

Increasing the Homestead Exemption to $100,000

Senate Bill 3 (Died in Conference Committee)

Adding Additional Property Tax Relief

Senate Bill 4 (Did Not Pass Texas House)

Increasing the Business Personal Property Tax Exemption

Senate Bill 5 (Did Not Pass Texas House)

Adding New Natural Gas Plants

Senate Bill 6 (Passed as SB 2627)

Continuing to Improve the Texas Grid

Senate Bill 7 (Passed as PUC Sunset)

Empowering Parental Rights – Including School Choice

Senate Bill 8 (Did Not Pass Texas House)

Empowering Teacher Rights – Teacher Pay Raise

Senate Bill 9 (Did Not Pass Texas House)

Adding 13th Checks for Retired Teachers

Senate Bill 10 (Sent to Governor)

Keeping Our Schools Safe and Secure

Senate Bill 11 (Sent to Governor)

Banning Children’s Exposure to Drag Shows

Senate Bill 12 (Sent to Governor)

Protecting Children from Obscene Books in Libraries

Senate Bill 13 (Passed as HB 900)

Ending Child Gender Modification

Senate Bill 14 (Sent to Governor)

Protecting Women’s College Sports

Senate Bill 15 (Sent to Governor)

Banning Critical Race Theory (CRT) in Higher Education

Senate Bill 16 (Did Not Pass Texas House)

Banning Discriminatory “Diversity, Equity and Inclusion” (DEI) Policies in Higher Education

Senate Bill 17 (Sent to Governor)

Eliminating Tenure at General Academic Institutions

Senate Bill 18 (Sent to Governor)

Creating A New Higher Education Endowment Fund

Senate Bill 19 (Passed as HB 1595)

Removing District Attorneys Who Refuse to Follow Texas Law

Senate Bill 20 (Passed as HB 17)

Removing Judges Who Refuse to Follow Texas Law

Senate Bill 21 (Did Not Pass Texas House)

Assisting Rural Law Enforcement Funding – Increasing Pay and Needed Equipment

Senate Bill 22 (Sent to Governor)

Creating A Mandatory 10-Year Prison Sentence for Criminals Committing Gun Crime

Senate Bill 23 (Did Not Pass Texas House)

Expanding Alternatives to Abortion

Senate Bill 24 (Sent to Governor)

Creating New Scholarships for Registered Nurses

Senate Bill 25 (Sent to Governor)

Expanding Mental Health Care Beds Across Texas – Focus on Rural Counties

Senate Bill 26 (Sent to Governor)

Creating A New Business Specialty Court

Senate Bill 27 (Passed as HB 19)

Addressing Texas’ Future Water Needs

Senate Bill 28 (Sent to Governor)

Banning Local COVID-19 Mandates

Senate Bill 29 (Sent to Governor)

Supplemental Budget

Senate Bill 30 (Sent to Comptroller)

Fiscal Responsibility

“The Texas economy is the envy of America and the entire world. As our economy continues rapidly growing into the middle of the 21st century, it is more important than ever that we double down on the conservative principles that have brought prosperity to millions of Texans. Our budget for the 2024-2025 biennium is within all constitutional spending limits, does not exceed population growth times inflation, and addresses key priorities for Texans statewide.”

- Lt. Governor Dan Patrick

State Budget

Senate Bill 1 (Passed as HB 1)

A few of the many highlights of our historic budget include:

$17.6 billion
to combat skyrocketing property taxes, the largest property tax cut in Texas history.

$5.1 billion
for border security, the most in Texas history, including funds for a new border force.

$5 billion
for cost-of-living adjustment for Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) retirees and for a one-time payment of $7,500 for retired teachers 75 and over and $2,400 for retired teachers 70-74.

$1.4 billion
for school safety measures, the most in Texas history.

As you can see, we have taken advantage of our unprecedented budget surplus to make strategic one-time and ongoing investments to address many issues that we previously could not afford to address. As a conservative, I insisted that the Senate maintain a healthy reserve of $10 billion, with an additional $5 billion to set aside for loans to incentivize companies to build more dispatchable power. In addition to the $10 billion in reserve, by the end of the 2024-25 biennium, our rainy day fund is projected to be the largest it has ever been at $22 billion. Texas is in the strongest financial position of any state in the country and many countries in the world.

Supplemental Budget

Senate Bill 30 (Sent to Comptroller)

The state’s supplemental budget appropriates an additional $20.5 billion for the current biennium. This includes $1.1 billion for school safety and security, $2.2 billion to increase inpatient mental health capacity and address waitlists, and more.

Senate Bill 1

(Passed as House Bill 1)

Senate Bill 1

A few of the many highlights of our historic budget include:

$17.6 billion

to combat skyrocketing property taxes, the largest property tax cut in Texas history.

$5.1 billion

for border security, the most in Texas history, including funds for a new border force.

$5 billion

for cost-of-living adjustment for Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) retirees and for a one-time payment of $7,500 for retired teachers 75 and over and $2,400 for retired teachers 70-74.

$1.4 billion

for school safety measures, the most in Texas history. As you can see, we have taken advantage of our unprecedented budget surplus to make strategic one-time and ongoing investments to address many issues that we previously could not afford to address. As a conservative, I insisted that the Senate maintain a healthy reserve of $10 billion, with an additional $5 billion to set aside for loans to incentivize companies to build more dispatchable power. In addition to the $10 billion in reserve, by the end of the 2024-25 biennium, our rainy day fund is projected to be the largest it has ever been at $22 billion. Texas is in the strongest financial position of any state in the country and many countries in the world.

Senate Bill 30

The state’s supplemental budget appropriates an additional $20.5 billion for the current biennium. This includes $1.1 billion for school safety and security, $2.2 billion to increase inpatient mental health capacity and address waitlists, and more.

Public Safety

“As I traveled rural Texas last fall, I was shocked at how little some of our rural sheriffs and their deputies were earning to cover thousands of square miles of territory in many cases. SB 22 was one of my highest priorities. It is difficult to find brave men and women to take these dangerous jobs in the first place, and some elected sheriffs only make just over $30,000 per year and their deputies make less than that. SB 22 represents the first time in Texas history that the state will assist in funding law enforcement in over 200 rural counties, reaffirming my dedication to public safety.”

- Lt. Governor Dan Patrick

Banning Children’s Exposure to Drag Shows

Senate Bill 12 (Sent to Governor)

Prohibits sexualized performances in the presence of a minor. This will stop drag queen shows for children.

Protecting Children from Obscene Books in Libraries

Senate Bill 13 (Passed as HB 900)

States that books in school libraries must not be harmful, indecent or profane. SB 13 builds off the idea of School Health Advisory Councils (SHAC) to allow local communities to make decisions that reflect their values and ensure parental involvement in school library content. In addition, SB 13 requires parental notice whenever their child checks out a school library book.

Removing District Attorneys Who Refuse to Follow Texas Law

Senate Bill 20 (Passed as HB 17)

Prohibits district or county attorneys with criminal jurisdiction from refusing to prosecute any type of criminal offense. SB 20 also provides that a policy of non-prosecution constitutes official misconduct and is grounds for removal.

Assisting Rural Law Enforcement Funding – Increasing Pay and Needed Equipment

Senate Bill 22 (Sent to Governor)

For the first time in Texas history, the state is assisting in funding law enforcement in rural counties. SB 22 establishes the Rural Sheriff’s Office Salary Assistance Grant Program and the Rural Prosecutor’s Office Salary Assistance Grant Program. These programs are available to sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices located in the 236 Texas counties with a population of less than 300,000. SB 22 provides $350 million to help increase sheriff, deputy, jailer, and prosecutor pay, hire their backups, and purchase much-needed vehicles, firearms, and safety equipment.

Senate Bill 13

States that books in school libraries must not be harmful, indecent or profane. SB 13 builds off the idea of School Health Advisory Councils (SHAC) to allow local communities to make decisions that reflect their values and ensure parental involvement in school library content. In addition, SB 13 requires parental notice whenever their child checks out a school library book. Passed as HB 900, a similar bill.

Senate Bill 12

Prohibits sexualized performances in the presence of a minor. This will stop drag queen shows for children.

Senate Bill 20

(Passed as HB 17)

Senate Bill 20

Prohibits district or county attorneys with criminal jurisdiction from refusing to prosecute any type of criminal offense. SB 20 also provides that a policy of non-prosecution constitutes official misconduct and is grounds for removal.

Senate Bill 22

For the first time in Texas history, the state is assisting in funding law enforcement in rural counties. SB 22 establishes the Rural Sheriff’s Office Salary Assistance Grant Program and the Rural Prosecutor’s Office Salary Assistance Grant Program. These programs are available to sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices located in the 236 Texas counties with a population of less than 300,000. SB 22 provides $350 million to help increase sheriff, deputy, jailer, and prosecutor pay, hire their backups, and purchase much-needed vehicles, firearms, and safety equipment.

Prioritizing Health and Safety

“In March of 2020, when the entire world was locked down, I was among the first people to suggest that Texas should reopen our economy as quickly and safely as possible. Texans proved that I was correct, and our economy roared back stronger than ever.”

- Lt. Governor Dan Patrick

Creating New Scholarships for Registered Nurses

Senate Bill 25 (Sent to Governor)

With a severe shortage of nurses, SB 25 was another one of my highest priorities. SB 25 grants authority to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to establish programs to help with student loan repayment and scholarships for registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses, as well as nurses who are seeking or have already achieved advanced degrees to become nursing faculty.

Expanding Mental Health Care Beds Across Texas – Focus on Rural Counties

Senate Bill 26 (Sent to Governor)

Working with my team, we designed a program to add multiple mental health care hospitals and hundreds of new beds as part of an “Innovation Grant” with local communities to direct state funding to improve mental health bed capacity and services across Texas. SB 26 also increases accountability and transparency for local mental and behavioral health authorities to better assess services provided and ongoing treatment needs, and directs the establishment of statewide discharge planning from state hospitals to community placement options.

Banning Local COVID-19 Mandates

Senate Bill 29 (Sent to Governor)

Prohibits any governmental entity from imposing mask or vaccine mandates or closing private businesses and schools in response to COVID-19.

Senate Bill 25

With a severe shortage of nurses, SB 25 was another one of my highest priorities. SB 25 grants authority to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to establish programs to help with student loan repayment and scholarships for registered nurses and licensed vocational nurses, as well as nurses who are seeking or have already achieved advanced degrees to become nursing faculty.

Senate Bill 26

Working with my team, we designed a program to add multiple mental health care hospitals and hundreds of new beds as part of an “Innovation Grant” with local communities to direct state funding to improve mental health bed capacity and services across Texas. SB 26 also increases accountability and transparency for local mental and behavioral health authorities to better assess services provided and ongoing treatment needs, and directs the establishment of statewide discharge planning from state hospitals to community placement options.

Senate Bill 29

Prohibits any governmental entity from imposing mask or vaccine mandates or closing private businesses and schools in response to COVID-19.

Texas Invests in Tomorrow

Senate Bill 27 (Passed as House Bill 19)

Creates a Business Specialty Court for complex business cases that need judges with experience to understand highly complicated major business issues.

Senate Bill 28

Creates a constitutionally dedicated Texas Water Fund, which includes the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. The Texas Water Fund will be used to funnel infrastructure dollars to existing state programs, while the New Water Supply for Texas Fund will provide loans to develop or acquire new water in Texas.

Senate Bill 27

(Passed as House Bill 19)

Senate Bill 27

Creates a Business Specialty Court for complex business cases that need judges with experience to understand highly complicated major business issues.

Senate Bill 28

Senate Bill 26

Creates a constitutionally dedicated Texas Water Fund, which includes the New Water Supply for Texas Fund. The Texas Water Fund will be used to funnel infrastructure dollars to existing state programs, while the New Water Supply for Texas Fund will provide loans to develop or acquire new water in Texas.

Educating Texans: Securing Our Schools and Honoring Our Teachers

Senate Bill 10

A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all eligible retired educators and a supplemental check of $7,500 for the approximately 186,000 retired educators aged 75 and older. SB 10 will not require any additional contributions from current educators or school districts. The state will fund the whole program using money from our budget surplus.

LT. GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK HOLDING UP A CAN OF COLA FOR RETIRED TEACHERS.

Senate Bill 10

A cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for all eligible retired educators and a supplemental check of $7,500 for the approximately 186,000 retired educators aged 75 and older. SB 10 will not require any additional contributions from current educators or school districts. The state will fund the whole program using money from our budget surplus.

LT. GOVERNOR DAN PATRICK HOLDING UP A CAN OF COLA FOR RETIRED TEACHERS.

Defending Our Conservative Values in Today’s Culture War

Senate Bill 14

Prohibits physicians and health care providers from performing sex change surgeries or prescribing puberty blockers to minors unless medically necessary and requires the Texas Medical Board to revoke the license of a physician who provides the prohibited sex change surgery or drugs. Additionally, SB 14 prohibits public money from being used or distributed to providers, medical schools, hospitals, or physicians who provide these surgeries or drugs.

Senate Bill 17

Bans the establishment of divisive DEI offices and hiring practices at Texas universities.

Senate Bill 24

Codifies and renames the Alternatives to Abortion Program to the Texas Pregnancy and Parenting Support Network and will promote healthy pregnancy, childbirth, and family formation, and help families achieve economic self-sufficiency. SB 24 also moves more support services to the purview of the Texas Health & Human Services Commission to allow for better coordination between services.

Senate Bill 14

Prohibits physicians and health care providers from performing sex change surgeries or prescribing puberty blockers to minors unless medically necessary and requires the Texas Medical Board to revoke the license of a physician who provides the prohibited sex change surgery or drugs. Additionally, SB 14 prohibits public money from being used or distributed to providers, medical schools, hospitals, or physicians who provide these surgeries or drugs.

Senate Bill 17

Bans the establishment of divisive DEI offices and hiring practices at Texas universities.

Senate Bill 24

Codifies and renames the Alternatives to Abortion Program to the Texas Pregnancy and Parenting Support Network and will promote healthy pregnancy, childbirth, and family formation, and help families achieve economic self-sufficiency. SB 24 also moves more support services to the purview of the Texas Health & Human Services Commission to allow for better coordination between services.

Property Tax Reform: Texas Senate Plan

Senate Bill 3 (Did not Pass Texas House)

Increases the Homestead Exemption from $40,000 to $100,000 for all 5.72 million Texas homeowners. All 31 Senators, Republicans and Democrats alike, were joint authors of this bill.

Senate Bill 4 (Did not Pass Texas House)

Further compresses school tax rates giving homeowners even more savings. SB 4 also reduces recapture for a number of school districts.

Senate Bill 5 (Did not Pass Texas House)

Increases the Business Personal Property (BPP) tax exemption from $2,500 to $25,000. Increasing the BPP tax exemption also cuts business compliance costs. Additionally, SB 5 establishes new inventory tax credits for the first time in history at $700 million per year. The Texas economy is stronger than ever, and Texans know lower government regulation will unleash further growth in our economy.

Senate Bill 3

(Did not Pass Texas House)

Senate Bill 3

Increases the Homestead Exemption from $40,000 to $100,000 for all 5.72 million Texas homeowners. All 31 Senators, Republicans and Democrats alike, were joint authors of this bill.

Senate Bill 4

(Did not Pass Texas House)

Senate Bill 4

Further compresses school tax rates giving homeowners even more savings. SB 4 also reduces recapture for a number of school districts.

Senate Bill 5

(Did not Pass Texas House)

Senate Bill 5

Increases the Business Personal Property (BPP) tax exemption from $2,500 to $25,000. Increasing the BPP tax exemption also cuts business compliance costs. Additionally, SB 5 establishes new inventory tax credits for the first time in history at $700 million per year. The Texas economy is stronger than ever, and Texans know lower government regulation will unleash further growth in our economy.