Deadline for state lawmakers to file new bills this session is March 14

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Dustin Burrows earned the gavel on the first day of the session, and it seems he and the House are now running full steam ahead.

"The house is at work," Burrows said. "We're excited to be at work. I think there are a lot of big things that we're going to be able to do for Texas this session."

The Republican from Lubbock is the new leader of the Texas House.

He defeated two other challengers, one Republican, and one Democrat, and won bipartisan support to replace former Speaker Dade Phelan.

Burrows said the learning curve is fast.

"There are a lot of moving parts to it and making sure you have members who are fully engaged, making sure they have a full opportunity to represent their districts is very important," Burrows told ABC13.

Burrows said the House would be methodical as it winds through the more than 6,000 bills already filed with several days to go before the 60-day deadline, working those relationships with other house members, the lieutenant governor, and the governor.

Only a handful will make it to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk by the time the session ends in late May.

"We're going to prioritize and hear bills," Burrows said. "We're going to get through several of those thousands of those bills. We'll take those up in committee. We'll make sure they're fully vetted. We'll make sure the public has an opportunity to comment on them, and once we pass those over, we'll take up the senate bills passed over to us, make sure those are fully vetted, and hopefully put the really good ones on the governor's desk for signing come June 2."

For updates on this story, follow Tom Abrahams on Facebook, X and Instagram.