The Texas legislature postpones the second special session

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The Texas legislature adjourned its second special session Thursday evening, ending a nearly 30-day stretch that was called to pass a Republican Party election bill after House Democrats held a quorum. of weeks to block the passage of this legislation during the first round of summer overtime.

The two chambers split minutes after giving final approval to several items on Governor Greg Abbott’s agenda, including so-called race theory legislation and a bill that, among other things, will reinstate funding for the legislature itself.

The House rose first, with House Speaker Dade Phelan R-Beaumont wishing members a happy Labor Day weekend before they left.

In the Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told senators he was proud of his work and pointed to another special session yet to focus on the redistricting process in the coming weeks, where lawmakers will draw new maps for the delegation of the State Congress, the Legislature and the State Board of Education.

“We’ll be back soon,” he said. “There’s still some work to be done.”

Earlier on Thursday, state lawmakers passed legislation restoring funding for the legislature, including salaries and benefits for some 2,100 state employees, which was due to run out later this month after Abbott vetoed those dollars. earlier this summer. The governor’s veto was intended to reimburse House Democrats who left the Capitol in the final hours of the regular legislative session to block a Republican Party election bill in May.

In addition to restoring funding, the legislature has this week passed a similar version of the controversial bill for the Republican Party election. State lawmakers also reworked the process to release criminals charged with bail, tightened border security funding, expanded e-learning for students, restricted the use of drugs that cause abortion, and banned the use of drugs. storage or disposal of high-level radioactive waste in Texas.

About half of the second special session, which began Aug. 7 without a quorum in the House, took place at a standstill after more than 50 House Democrats flew to Washington, DC, to avoid re-election. approval of that GOP election bill. This flight to the country’s capital began in the first special session, but there were enough Democrats outside the state to prevent the House from holding a quorum at the start of the second.

But once a quorum was established in the House (the minimum number of members required for the presence of the House), legislation related to the governor’s agenda began to move.

Members are expected to return to Austin soon for another special session focused on redrawing state political maps, though Abbott has not yet announced a date.

Issues that did not reach the goal before state lawmakers adjourned on Thursday, such as legislation that would restrict the participation of transgender sports student sports, could be added to the legislature’s agenda for the next session. extraordinary; it’s up to Abbott, who sorts out these overtime legislative rounds and sets their agendas.

However, in a statement after the postponement, Patrick said he had already asked the governor to include the transgender athletes bill on the agenda for the next special session.

“The Senate has passed this bill four times and it has failed in the House,” he said. “I have asked Governor Abbott to do so in the convening of the special session later this month and we will approve it again.”

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