The Governor has announced the agenda items for the upcoming Special Session. Not only is the Governor the only official who can call a Special Session, but he also determines what is included on the agenda. Although members can file any bill they wish (and many do), only those items listed in the Special Session call can be advanced.
The Governor’s call includes the following issues:
- Flood warning systems
- Flood emergency communications
- Relief funding for Hill Country floods
- Natural disaster preparation and recovery
- Elimination of the STAAR test
- Property tax reductions
- Protection of children from THC
- Regulation of hemp-derived products
- Protection of unborn children
- Ban on taxpayer-funded lobbying
- Protection of human trafficking victims
- Police personnel records
- Protection of women’s spaces
- Attorney General election powers
- Congressional redistricting
- Title theft and deed fraud
- Water project incentives
- State judicial department reforms
The first several items—focused on flood and disaster relief—are in direct response to the dramatic flooding and tragic loss of life during the recent July 4 flooding in the Hill Country. Many of the remaining topics are either items that failed during the regular session or were vetoed by the Governor due to language flaws. This is one of the most ambitious Special Session agendas in recent memory.
A Special Session lasts 30 days. If the Governor is not satisfied with the Legislature’s progress, he may call another Special Session—and he can do so as many times as he deems necessary.
Final statistics from the regular session are as follows: Of the 9,240 bills and resolutions filed, 1,355 (15%) were sent to the Governor. He vetoed 28 bills (several of which have returned in the Special Session call), allowed 24 bills to become law without his signature, and signed the remainder. While this workload is considerable, it’s important to remember that the Governor’s staff monitored most of these bills throughout the session and had input on many major items—so these are not unfamiliar documents. Still, it’s a lot to digest.
None loom larger than Senate Bill 3, which proposed a complete ban on THC products. The Governor vetoed it, and it has reappeared on the Special Session agenda. This veto was a clear example of the power of grassroots advocacy. After SB 3 passed, industry members mobilized quickly, delivering more than 5,000 letters and 120,000 petition signatures asking the Governor to reject the bill—and he did. Now, the issue is back on the table.
Another item the Governor wants to revisit is property taxes. While the homestead exemption was increased during the regular session, he seeks further reform. What that will look like remains uncertain. Property taxes are a critical source of funding for local governments and public schools, making them difficult to replace. Though everyone agrees the system could be improved, viable alternatives are limited—and 30 days is a short window to address an issue that has been years in the making.
Every Special Session is unique. The ticking clock, the narrow scope of issues, and the looming campaign season (with several members already running for open or soon-to-be-open seats) all shape what can be accomplished. The time constraints often favor those opposed to legislation, but the Governor has the authority to keep calling the Legislature back. He has done it before—and because he lives in Austin, Special Sessions do not disrupt his personal or professional life.
The session begins Monday, July 21. Let the fun begin.
—TWGGA Legislative Advocate Kyle Frazier