Workers outside the state capital in Austin continue to renovate and restore the historic building. The state government inside is also a work in progress.

Statewide forces will collide in Austin this week when the legislative session begins. Tuesday, lawmakers get sworn in and begin their work.

Governor Greg Abbott went on a campaign rampage last year, defeating roughly a dozen members of his own party who stopped his efforts at education reform. The fallout from that is still playing out.

“Look, I think the struggle between the governor and the legislature over his school voucher proposal is one of the big storylines that we’re going to be watching, of course,” said Scott Braddock, editor of the capitol newsletter, the Quorum Report.

Other issues rising to the top for state lawmakers this year are emerging technologies, water infrastructure, and property tax reform. But first, the Texas House must choose a leader.

That struggle is turning into a brawl between a bipartisan coalition led by Lubbock Republican Dustin Burrows and the Republican caucuses former Mansfield Mayor David Cook. Over the past year, Lt. Governor Dan Patrick and Attorney General Ken Paxton have put their muscle behind Cook in the feud.

“As far as my experience, it is worse than it’s ever been. And I’ve been talking to veterans of the legislative process going back to the 70s and the 60s before that. And none of them have ever seen anything like this where we’re this close to the legislative session, the race for speaker isn’t settled up,” said Braddock.

The Texas Constitution decentralizes power throughout state government, creating a lot of fiefdoms. If you have big personalities in those fiefdoms, it’s common for them to clash.

“It’s set up that way on purpose. You know, this building, the Texas Capitol is a legislation killing building,” said Braddock, “It’s a killing field for legislation on purpose. The idea being that not all ideas are good ideas. In fact, most ideas are bad ideas and that only the best ideas should make it through this rigorous process.”

In press conferences around the state, Texas Democrats say their priority is defense – to stop changes to laws supporting public schools and diversify efforts.

“We do need your voices. We cannot do this without you,” said Rep. Rhetta Bowers, D- Rowlett, told a group of supporters Sunday night. “We have to make sure that we kill bad bills.”

Monday afternoon, the state comptroller announced lawmakers will have nearly $24 billion in a budget surplus. Having money won’t be a problem; deciding how to spend it will.

AUSTIN – Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered that flags at state buildings will be raised to full-staff for the day of president-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Flags have been flown at half-staff since former president Jimmy Carter’s death on Dec. 29.

President Joe Biden ordered flags to be at half-staff for 30 days following Carter’s death, which is tradition when a former president dies.

Gov. Abbott orders flags at full-staff on Inauguration Day

What we know:

On Monday, Governor Greg Abbott ordered that all flags at the Texas Capitol and other state buildings will be raised to full-staff on Jan. 20, 2025.

Donald Trump will be sworn in for his second term as president in Washington D.C. on that Monday.

Gov. Abbott’s announcement cited a federal statute which says the flag should be displayed on all days, including Inauguration Day.

The president-elect has spoken out against the idea of flags being at half-staff for his inauguration.

READ MORE: Guide to 2025 Presidential Inauguration

“The Democrats are all “giddy” about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at “half mast” during my Inauguration. They think it’s so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they don’t love our Country, they only think about themselves,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 3. “Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Let’s see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

What they’re saying:

“Texas continues to mourn with our fellow Americans across the country over the passing of former President Jimmy Carter,” said Governor Abbott in a statement. “President Carter’s steadfast leadership left a lasting legacy that will be felt for generations to come, which together as a nation we honor by displaying flags at half-staff for 30 days. On January 20, our great nation will celebrate our democratic tradition of transferring power to a new President by inaugurating the 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump. As we unite our country and usher in this new era of leadership, I ordered all flags to be raised to full-staff at the Texas Capitol and all state buildings for the inauguration of President Trump. While we honor the service of a former President, we must also celebrate the service of an incoming President and the bright future ahead for the United States of America.”

Why are US flags at half-staff?

The backstory:

On Dec. 29, 2024, President Joe Biden ordered flags at the White House, all public buildings and grounds, military posts and naval stations and naval vessels to be flown at half-staff in honor of the life of former president Jimmy Carter.

Under the president’s order, flags would be flown at half-staff for 30 days, until Jan. 28, 2025.

U.S. flag code dictates that flags will remain lowered for 30 days after the death of a former president.

That would include Jan. 20, the day of Mr. Trump’s inauguration.

Have flags been flown at half-staff on Inauguration Day before?

1/20/1973- Washington, DC: President Richard Nixon, inauguration general view of swearing-in ceremony with capitol building in background.

Dig deeper:

Flags were flown at half-staff when Richard Nixon was sworn-in for his second term in 1973.

Nixon had ordered the flags to be lowered after the death of former President Harry Truman.

AUSTIN, Texas (KBTX) -The 89th Texas legislative session kicks off Tuesday, with lawmakers set to address major issues ranging from school vouchers and immigration to water policy and sports gambling. With a Republican-dominated legislature and more than 2,300 pre-filed bills, experts predict a high-stakes 140 days.

Legislative makeup and new members

Republicans maintain control of both chambers, holding 20 of 31 seats in the Senate and 88 of 150 seats in the House. Democrats control 11 Senate seats and 62 House seats. The Senate gained one additional Republican member since the last session, and three senators are serving their first term.

The House welcomes 32 new representatives, including Brazos Valley’s District 14′s Paul Dyson, and District 12′s Trey Wharton, while also flipping two seats in November’s elections.

“This session could bring significant changes,” said Kirby Goidel, a political science professor at Texas A&M University’s Bush School of Government and Public Service. “What the state legislature does in Texas is probably even more important to you than what happens in Washington, D.C.”

Key issues on the agenda

Among the most debated topics this session is school vouchers, a priority for Gov. Greg Abbott. Lawmakers have struggled to pass a bill in the last session which included five special sessions, but experts say momentum is growing.

“This should be something that would be easy for them to get done,” Goidel said. “The challenge is really in the details. Should vouchers be everywhere? If they are everywhere, do they hurt rural school districts without as many private school choices?”

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Another focal point will be immigration. Republican lawmakers are considering creating a state agency to handle border security and immigration policies independently of federal initiatives.

“There’s a feeling, I think, on the Republican side that now that you have a Republican in the White House, maybe that maybe there’s a dividend that we that we get back because we don’t have to spend as much time as an energy on immigration,” Goidel said. “Republicans also feel like they owe their voters to show that they are addressing the immigration issue.”

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Sports gambling is also likely to spark debate, with advocates pushing for legalization to recapture millions of dollars currently spent in other states.

“We know people in Texas are gambling on sports,” Goidel said. “There is going to be a big push to try to make that legal.”

Infrastructure and budget surplus

Water export from the Brazos Valley is expected to be a significant issue as lawmakers address statewide water policy during the 89th legislative session. With the region sitting atop critical water resources, local leaders and residents have voiced concerns about plans to transport water to urban areas outside the Brazos Valley. These exports could strain local supplies and impact long-term sustainability for agriculture and growing communities within the region.

“This is gonna be a session that’s going to have to deal with some of the water resources confronting the state,” Goidel said.

Bryan City Council greenlights PR contract for ‘Keep Water Local’ initiative & Texas A&M and local well owners clash over groundwater rights, public hearing set

Lawmakers will also contend with a budget surplus, with a key update from the state’s revenue estimating commission expected Monday. The surplus could influence property tax relief and other funding priorities.

“Many people are expecting [the surplus] to be very big—we may all get some property tax relief,” Goidel said.

A busy session ahead

The pre-filing of more than 2,300 bills—over 1,600 in the House and 700 in the Senate—gives a glimpse of the legislative priorities. Topics such as public education funding, social issues, and infrastructure are expected to emerge alongside the core debates.

Incoming state Rep. Paul Dyson weighs in on speaker race splitting House Republicans

The speaker’s race has revealed divisions within the Republican Party, with lawmakers split between the establishment faction and the MAGA-aligned wing, a dynamic that could influence the tone and priorities of the 89th session.

“We walk into the Texas legislative session this year not really sure who the speaker is going to be because there is a division within the Republican Party—between what I don’t really like these terms, but I’ll use them anyway—sort of between the establishment side of the Republican Party and the MAGA side,” Goidel said. “That’s got to be resolved before anything gets done, and how that gets resolved could affect everything else that follows.”

Looking ahead

With a packed agenda and a Republican-controlled legislature, experts say this session will shape Texas’ future on multiple fronts. The session, which runs for 140 days, begins Tuesday. Lawmakers are required to pass a budget before the term concludes, but political observers will also watch closely to see how key debates unfold.

KBTX News 3 will have a team in Austin on Tuesday, bringing you the sights and sounds from opening day.

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