State of Texas: 'He's got the votes,' Perry touts Phelan in race for Texas House Speaker

AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas lawmakers submitted over 1,500 bills as the filing period opened on Tuesday, setting a new record for the most number of bills filed on the first day.

Some staffers even camped out in the hallway behind the Senate chamber to secure their spot in line -- more of a symbolic move than a strategic one, as there is no real advantage to filing a bill early. Last year, fewer than 15% of bills filed became law — only 1,169 of the more than 8,000 filed.

“A lot...