House Republicans gathered for a press conference just after sine die around 5:30 p.m. Speaker Joe Straus (R-San Antonio) said despite the the "hard work" done by his colleagues, "the work of this legislature is not complete."

Straus referenced the specter of a special session, which he just confirmed via a phone call before gaveling in the end of the 82nd Texas Legislative Session. Rep. Larry Taylor (R-Friendswood) said he plans to roll in to the Capitol around 10 or 11 a.m. Tuesday, though did not know when Gov. Rick Perry would order the special session to begin.

The call, Taylor said, could contain any number of issues -- most importantly, the filibustered fiscal matters bill SB 1811. Other bills on the special session call could include: the Sanctuary Cities bill (killed at the last minute in the Senate); HB 6, a public ed textbook funding bill; and SBs 8 and 23, health care system efficiency bills. [Note: See related blog post for a list of Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's preferred special session items, including the surprise addition of HB 1937, the anti-TSA-groping bill.]

Hours before sine die, House and Senate Democrats today took a turn to weigh-in on the state budget.

"Inspiring" was Rep. Jessica Farrar's (D-Houston) commentary on a filibuster tactic used by Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth). Late last night, Davis pushed fiscal matters bill SB 1811 past the midnight deadline to approve conference committee reports -- thus ensuring a special session.

"We've wasted thousands of hours on emergency items," Farrar said, referencing Gov. Perry's emergency items such as a Sanctuary Cities bill and Voter ID.

(Editor's note: updated at 11:20 pm)

It's 11 o'clock on Sunday. Do you know where YOUR senator is?

Well, they were in what earlier appeared to be a filibuster, being led by Sen. Wendy Davis (D-Fort Worth). Now, Senators are (slowly) debating the merits of a must-pass fiscal matters bill -- SB 1811 -- just one hour before the deadline to accept a conference committee report.

The House passed the Transportation Sunset Bill conference committee report 118-26 this afternoon.

Rep. Joe Pickett (D-El Paso), the 81st Session's Transportation committee chairman, voted yes to the compromise bill between the two chambers. "But," he said ...

"We've got to come up with a better solution than just borrowing money," referring to the sunset plan's continuation of the deals that allow for the construction of toll roads.

Shortly before the Senate approved the budget bill 20-11, House Appropriations Chairman Jim Pitts (R-Waxahachie) laid out the case for the fiscal course of the next biennium.

"I think what you have before you is a better budget," Pitts said, before laying out the highlights of the document that has been worked on since October.

The budget, Pitts said, represents a "non-partisan" approach that encapsulates "the will of this chamber across the board." And much was added from the original, bare-bones draft, he said.

Rep. Myra Crownover (R-Denton) said her perennial attempt to ban smoking in closed-in public places died at the hands of a conference committee today.

Crownover attached the text of her anti-smoking bill the SB 1811 as an amendment on the House floor May 20. She said she had a majority of support in both chambers to pass the provision, but since it will not appear in the conferene committee report it will not become law.

Texas Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) announced his intentions to step up to the federal level on a radio show today.

Patrick, appearing on "The Laura Ingraham Show," said he would be seeking, via an exploratory committee, the soon-to-be-vacant seat held by U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

"Over the next few months I will explore a run for the U.S. Senate," Patrick said.  If I decide to enter the race I will be the only candidate with a proven conservative voting record and a long history of fighting for conservative causes."

HB 1937 -- the infamous anti-TSA-groping bill -- lacked the support tonight for a Senate vote.

Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston), the Senate sponsor, said he was not in a position to bring up HB 1937, with just about an hour to go before the Senate's third-reading bill deadline.

As the anti-TSA-groping bill was debated on the Senate floor today, Sen. Dan Patrick (R-Houston) learned he no longer had the 21 votes necessary to pass the bill.

He thought he had 30.

The reason for the drop in support, Patrick said, was Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst's intervention -- "peeling off the votes," he called it. However, a spokesman for Dewhurst denied that was the case.

The U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to House and Texas Senate leaders Tuesday -- reportedly in person -- threatening a shut-down of airports if HB 1937 is passed.

The letter claims Rep. David Simpson's (R-Longview) anti-TSA-groping bill is against federal law and the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution. We include the text of the DOJ's letter, as well as a portion of Simpson's reply, below.

Dear Leaders,

I write with regard to HB 1937, which I understand will imminently be presented to the Texas Senate for a vote. This office, as well as the Southern, Northern, and Eastern District of Texas United States Attorneys, would like to advise you of the significant leagal and practical problems that will be created if the bill becomes law.  [...]