Midterm election: Texas lawmakers adjust to big changes in Austin for first time in decades

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- When the Texas legislature goes back into session in January, it will look markedly different than it has in more than 30 years. And already, legislators are talking about the seismic shift in Austin.

Today is the first day to file a bill for the next session. The first of thousands over the next few months. But this year, as a new government gets its bearings, it's unclear how many of them will become law.

RELATED: Texas lawmakers prepare to file bills ahead of Governor-elect Hinojosa taking office in January

Nonetheless, it is a new day under the dome in Austin. And State Senator Molly Cook can already feel the energy.

“The most important thing to me is that the people of Texas feel powerful," she told ABC13. “Today is the first day of bill filing. So folks are excited. There's a lot of hope and a lot of possibility and potential in the air, and our districts expect us to show up and deliver for them. So we are here to do exactly that.“

Cook is still in the minority in the Texas Senate—one of 12 Democrats to 19 Republicans. But the leader of the Senate is Democrat Lt. Governor-elect Vikki Goodwin. Republican State Senator Paul Bettencourt expects a change in approach on both sides.

“Look, this is a major reset in Texas politics," Bettencourt said. “It's just part of the process of people figuring out where governance is going, and that's really what the state legislature has to do, and they have to pass a budget. That's our number one priority. “

In the House, it seems longtime Houston State Rep. Senfronia Thompson is the odds-on favorite to become the new speaker, with Democrats now holding the majority.

“We won on the economy, on our public schools, on data centers, and things that are important to both sides of the aisle," Democratic State Rep. Christina Morales said. "So I think that we'll be able to pass meaningful legislation, and we'll be able to do it in a bipartisan way."

And while most Republicans, including Republican Caucus Chair Tom Oliverson from northwest Harris County, won’t vote for Thompson for speaker, he’s willing to work with her and the new majority.

“I think that she's a very pragmatic person," he said, "and I expect that she will focus on an agenda of things that you know are just sort of your bread and butter issues, good schools, safe communities, those kinds of things, and to the extent that that is the agenda, Republicans will work together with Democrats to get those ideas across the finish line.”

Another sign of the changes in Austin is that outgoing Lt. Governor Dan Patrick announced on Monday he’s starting his own consulting firm, called Patrick Strategies. He says he will help clients as a consultant but will not serve as a lobbyist.