Legislative session enters the final stretch: What you need to know
As the 89th Legislature’s regular legislative session heads into its final 20 days, the atmosphere in the Capitol becomes increasingly frenetic. With major deadlines fast approaching and legislative priorities on the line, both the House of Representatives and Senate shift into overdrive to navigate the complex, rule-bound final stages of the session. Outlined below is a detailed breakdown of what to expect in each chamber ahead of the close of session and the Governor’s role in the final steps of a bill becoming law.
Countdown to Sine Die
The Texas Legislature operates on a strict 140-day calendar, and the last 20 days (Days 121–140) are marked by key deadlines and intense procedural maneuvering before the Legislature adjourns (sine die). During this final phase, each chamber faces a series of parliamentary deadlines as the session draws to a close. While the exact dates can shift slightly depending on the calendar, the following are pivotal milestones for the 2025 legislative session:
Texas House of Representatives
- Day 122 (Thursday, May 15) – Final Day for House Bills on Second Reading in the House
This is the last day the House can consider House-originated bills on second reading — the most critical stage of debate and amendment. If a House bill hasn’t reached this point by this day, it’s effectively dead. Ahead of this deadline, you can expect long calendars, lengthy debates and late nights. - Day 134 (Tuesday, May 27) – Final Day for Senate Bills on Second Reading in the House
By this day, the House has focused their efforts on considering bills received from the Senate. If a Senate bill hasn’t passed its second reading by the end of this day, it won’t make it across the finish line. - Day 139 (Sunday, June 1) – Deadline to Adopt Conference Committee Reports in the House
If any bills have been sent to conference to resolve House-Senate differences, this is the last day the House can vote to adopt those reports. No amendments are allowed at this stage — members cast only an up-or-down vote on the report.
Texas Senate
The Senate operates under more flexible internal rules than the House but follows a roughly parallel structure in the final days:
- Day 130 (Friday, May 23) – Final Passage of Senate Bills in the Senate
To meet House deadlines, Senate bills and joint resolutions must be passed by the Senate and received by the House before this date. - Day 135 (Wednesday, May 28) – Final Day for House Bills on Third Reading in the Senate
Any House bill that fails to pass by this day is unlikely to be revived. - Day 139 (Sunday, June 1) – Consideration of Conference Committee Reports and Concurrence on House Bills
This is the final day for the Senate to adopt final versions of bills that have gone through the conference process or concur on those returned from the House with amendments.
The Conference Committee Process: Resolving Differences
When the House and Senate pass different versions of the same bill, a Conference Committee is appointed to reconcile the differences. Here’s how that works:
- Appointment: Each chamber appoints five members — typically including the bill’s author and other relevant members.
- Negotiation: Conferees meet privately to hash out the differences in each passed version and create a compromise bill.
- Conference Committee Report: Once an agreement is reached, a report is produced and must be adopted by both chambers.
- Failure to Agree: If no agreement is reached, the bill dies unless one chamber concurs with the other’s version.
This process often becomes the last opportunity for legislative fine-tuning of complex policy proposals.
After Passage: What Happens When a Bill Reaches the Governor
Once a bill has passed both chambers in identical form (either initially or via a conference report), it is enrolled and sent to the Governor for him to sign the bill into law, veto the bill, or take no action and the bill still becomes law. The timeline from the bill being sent to the Governor includes:
- 10-Day Clock (excluding Sundays): During the session, the Governor has 10 days to sign, veto or allow a bill to become law without a signature.
- 20-Day Clock (post-session): For bills sent in the final 10 days of the session, the Governor has 20 days after adjournment (sine die) to act. This gives the Governor until Sunday, June 22 — Father’s Day — to act on these bills.
Why It Matters
The last 20 days of the regular legislative session represent one of the most intricate and consequential phases of lawmaking. As lawmakers rush to get priority legislation across the finish line, the clock becomes their most formidable roadblock. What was once a broad field of legislative ideas narrows dramatically, as only the most viable bills continue advancing under the pressure of chamber deadlines, political negotiations and time constraints.