Legislative Session Opens With Phelan at the Helm
Rep. Dade Phelan of Jefferson County was elected Texas Speaker of the House by a vote of 145-3.
January 21, 2023 | Austin, TX
The 88th Texas Legislature convened on Jan. 10. It was a particularly contentious first day with Dade Phelan's election as Speaker of the House. Although many grassroots conservatives supported the election of Phelan's opponent, Representative Tony Tinderholt of Tarrant County, as more likely to support the Republican Party of Texas (RPT) Legislative Priorities, only three Republicans voted for Tinderholt.
It is worth noting that Phelan received the vote of every Democrat in the chamber. The three votes received by Tinderholt were from Tinderholt himself, Nate Schatzline of Tarrant County, and Bryan Slaton of Hunt County.
House Rules debate held on first day
Many conservatives felt that Phelan used his position as Speaker to immediately manipulate the process and move debate on the House Rules up by a day, thereby avoiding busloads of Republican activists scheduled to appear the following day. Primarily organized by the RPT Legislative Priorities Committee, constituents traveled to Austin to support the banning of Democrat chairs and the other RPT Legislative Priorities. They filled the House gallery, but the Rules debate had already taken place.
Gender issues rule declared ineligible for consideration
The banning of Democrat chairs was not the only RPT Legislative Priority that took a hit on day one, as Phelan also declared a rule applying to ‘gender issues’ ineligible for consideration during a rules debate. Phelan’s action on this matter caused conservative legislators and grassroots activists concern that he intends to block debate on another of the eight Legislative Priorities, which calls for a ban on the gender modification of children.
A signal of things to come?
On the floor, Representative Tinderholt offered a series of amendments to the House Rules in support of the RPT Legislative Priorities as Democrats repeatedly called “points of order,” which were sustained by Speaker Phelan. Conservatives will need to follow proposed legislation closely if this is a harbinger of things to come.
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