AUSTIN, TX — Wednesday afternoon, the Texas State Senate voted down the two-thirds chamber rule by a vote of 20 to 10. This means that it will make it even harder for a minority coalition of Senate members to block the consideration of bills. Under the new rule, only 19 members of the senate will be needed to bring legislation to the floor for consideration; so that means 13 members are now needed to block legislation from coming to the Senate floor. Under the previous two-thirds rule that had been in place since 1951, only 11 senators were needed to block legislation.

"The step we are taking today in moving away from the tradition of the Senate's two-thirds rule - in my opinion - does irreparable damage to the institution," said State Senator Royce West. "The two-thirds rule is one of the things that historically has separated this body from other states and from Congress, in that it forces members to reach across the aisle to seek compromise on the issues for debate that confront the State of Texas in this chamber."

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