The House voted to adjourn sine die around 12:30 p.m., following a vote on Rep. David Simpson's (R-Longview) anti-TSA-groping bill. As many expected, it did not clear the 4/5 hurdle necessary to suspend the Texas Constitution's three-day reading rule, and failed.

Rep. Linda Harper Brown (R-Irving) had a resolution stating opposition to the TSA's "advanced patdown" procedure, but it apparently did not receive a vote.

The bill passed to third reading 106-27, with 16 "absent," and the motion to suspend the Constitution failed 96-26.

Thanks in part to the extension of time brought by an impasse over SB 1 and the anti-TSA-groping bill, the House met this morning and passed the courts reform bill.

The House concurred with the Senate's changes to HB 79 by a vote of 94-44.

The Senate adjourned sine die yesterday (June 28). ...

As the rest of the House adjourned its next-to-last day of the special session, the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee voted 7-1 this evening to refer SB 29 to the House floor tomorrow.

But the chances are steep that they can get the "hard 120" votes required to pass the bill.

The Senate and House approved the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association reform bill conference committee reports this afternoon, shortly before an impasse on the state budget.

TWIA reform passed in the Senate 18-11 and in the House 98-44. It now heads to the Governor's desk. Shortly after the TWIA vote, the Senate adjourned sine die. But the House still had some business to kick out, including the anti-TSA-groping bill and SB 1. However, as a surprise to many members from both parties, SB 1 failed on a 64-79 vote. ...

In short: If the anti-groping bill gets amendmended tonight or tomorrow, it dies.

It was a very interesting (and somewhat entertaining) display of parliamentary maneuvering this afternoon, as the Senate sent over SB 29 and the House discussed how it could be passed with such little time left on the clock.

It was thought to be dead in the water as the House passed HCR 5 -- a toothless resolution against the "advanced pat-down" employed by TSA agents at airports. But the bill received it's eighth of nine lives this afternoon when Rep. Pete Gallego (D-Alpine) received permission (by a vote of 97-32) for the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee to meet while the House debated budget bill SB 1. The committee has not yet met at the time of writing.

"This morning I am pleased to announce my candidacy for the newly-created Congressional District 33," announced former U.S. Senate candidate Roger Williams this morning.

Roger Williams, a former Texas Secretary of State, will join Railroad Commissioner Michael Williams in the race for the prospective new Congressional seat, Texas' 33rd. This is a game-changer, as Michael Williams was also a contender for the U.S. Senate seat, soon to be vacated by the retiring Kay Bailey Hutchison.

On a day when few legislators showed up for floor in both chambers (resulting in the delay of some critcial legislation), and many conference committee reports have yet to be turned in, a frustrated House Speaker urged all of his colleagues to come in on Monday and kick out remaining business of the 82nd Special Session.

(UPDATED at 5:47 pm to include a statement from Sen. Dan Patrick.)

It flew through the House with nary a word against it in the regular session.

But today Speaker Joe Straus called the anti-TSA-groping bill "ill-advised" and a "not well-researched" publicity stunt, after quickly gaveling in and out a five-minute floor session this morning.

The possible lack of quorum may have been the official reason that bill did not get a floor debate this morning (see footnote below). But behind the scenes there was a debate over the legality of Rep. David Simpson's (R-Longview) HB 41, which criminalizes the touching of certain body parts by Transportation Safety Administration (TSA) workers. ...

Any conference committee on the TWIA reform bill can "expect one hell of a fight," Senate Business and Commerce Committee Chairman John Carona (R-Dallas) said this morning.

The committee tentatively approved a committee substitute of HB 3, the Texas Windstorm Insurance Association restructuring bill. The tally was 7-1, though the vote was left open as Sen. Mike Jackson (R-La Porte), one of three coastal area legislators on the committee, was en route. The Senate is expected to take up TWIA this afternoon.

"I'm going to do everything I can to defend this bill in the process. We're not going to be rolled over," Carona said, adding that he would not send the House bill to the Senate floor. ...

After Gov. Rick Perry added "official oppression" by transportation and public building security to the special session call Monday evening, there was some question as to how earnest an effort would be made toward passing a bill -- or if there was any time left for it.

But today, a Texas Senate committee scheduled SB 29 (Sen. Dan Patrick's anti-TSA-groping bill) for a hearing, and the House recommitted HB 41 (Rep. David Simpson's bill) back to committee to remove any probable points of order.

It's serious business. ...