Amid much celebration, the last of the Texas 20 bills targeting transgender students and minors died without a vote Tuesday night. And amazingly it was Democrat Rep. Dutton the man who revived and passed SB29 out of committee who made the motion to end the late-night session.

“We woke up this morning determined to kill that bill,” Rep. Julie Johnson, D-Carrollton, told The Dallas Morning News just before midnight. “I’m really really pleased and so grateful that we were able to deliver this win for the children of Texas and their rights to live full and happy lives, free from discrimination.”

Over the objections of LGBTQ advocates and families of trans kids, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick elevated the bill this session as one of his top priorities. But the GOP-led House postponed debate on the bill late Tuesday, effectively killing it by running out the clock, over fears that Democrats would drag out the discussion and doom dozens of other bills set for debate after it.

“We’ve got a lot to do in a short period of time,” Rep. Tom Oliverson, vice chairman of the Texas House Republican Caucus, told The Dallas Morning News just before the deadline. “We can’t make time.”

The Texas Legislature did all of this without a dogfight.

Earlier in the day laughter and smiles reigned in the Senate as a bipartisanship bill to end puppy mills hit the floor. Shortly after woofing down that crucial bill, the Senate passed legislation limiting Governor Abbott’s authority during a pandemic and defeating the Senate Speaker LT Governor Dan Patrick’s effort to silence independent and social media when it expressed opinions contrary to the Governor’s.

On top of that, the Legislature defeated efforts to further target voting rights and passed a bill increasing medical cannabis availability.

This is my home.