What was supposed to be a procedural safety valve for Texas government turned into political theater Saturday as the House Committee on Delivery of Government Efficiency — nicknamed DOGE — voted down critical legislation designed to temporarily extend the life of key state agencies.
The bill in question, Senate Bill 2401, known as the “sunset safety net”, would have provided a two-year extension for eight state entities currently undergoing sunset review. These include high-profile agencies like the Texas Lottery Commission (TLC) and the Texas Ethics Commission (TEC), both of which have become political footballs in a deeply divided Legislature.
Safety Net, Pulled
SB 2401 was designed as a legislative insurance policy. In Texas, most state agencies undergo sunset review every 12 years — a process that requires legislative reauthorization or they automatically shut down. The safety net bill steps in when individual agency bills stall or fail.
This year, two agencies — the TLC and TEC — have been caught in ideological crossfire. Conservatives have targeted the Lottery Commission for elimination, while the Ethics Commission has come under fire amid a larger battle over banning taxpayer-funded lobbying.
During Saturday’s formal meeting, Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) and Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington) successfully amended the safety net bill to remove the TLC and TEC. Once their amendments were adopted, they then led the charge to kill the entire bill, arguing that it was the only way to prevent unwanted extensions of the two agencies.
“You Might Have Noticed…”
Tensions flared early.
“You might have noticed that this Senate bill has been before you multiple times,” Cain said. “That’s why we have left early before without taking it up, because the chairman knew what we were trying to do.”
That drew a sharp rebuke from Committee Chair Rep. Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake).
“That is not true,” he said. “The reason it hasn’t been brought up is because, in my opinion, we didn’t have to do it at that time.”
Amid rising tempers, Rep. Liz Campos (D-San Antonio) walked out mid-meeting, clearly exasperated by the political sparring. She later returned, but her frustration reflected a broader sense of fatigue among members.
Another walkout followed — this time by Rep. Linda Garcia (D-Mesquite) after a dispute with Rep. Rhetta Bowers (D-Dallas).
The Vote
When the dust settled, SB 2401 failed on a 5–6 vote.
Voting against the bill:
Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park)
Tony Tinderholt (R-Arlington)
David Cook (R-Mansfield)
Mike Olcott (R-Fort Worth)
Ellen Troxclair (R-Lakeway)
Daniel Alders (R-Tyler)
Voting for the bill:
Giovanni Capriglione (R-Southlake)
Pat Curry (R-Waco)
Democratic members (names not individually listed in the tally)
Once the vote ended, the room boiled over into finger-pointing and floor skirmishes as lawmakers accused one another of underhanded tactics and political opportunism.
A Familiar Playbook
Veteran observers noted echoes of 2017, when Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick held the sunset safety net hostage to force action on property tax reform and the so-called “bathroom bill.”
This year, the stakes are different — but just as political. Without SB 2401, the TEC and TLC may face automatic expiration unless their standalone sunset bills are brought to the floor within the final 10 days of session.
But the outlook is murky. The TEC extension is stuck in the House Calendars Committee. Meanwhile, the Senate’s alternative lottery plan — a bill by Sen. Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) that would dissolve the TLC and move the lottery to the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation — is scheduled for House debate on Sunday.
If that bill passes, the TLC's fate is sealed — and SB 2401 rendered moot.
Behind the Curtain
The DOGE Committee itself has been a cauldron of intrigue this session, marked by ideological splits, procedural fights, and even rare bipartisan moments — such as the now-infamous viral clash with a health insurance company that collected personal data on lawmakers.
Saturday’s drama cemented the committee’s reputation as one of the most chaotic battlegrounds in the Texas Legislature this year.
Whether lawmakers can resolve the impasse in the final stretch of the session — or whether Gov. Greg Abbott will be forced to call a special session — remains to be seen.
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