Shortly after the 88th Texas Legislature adjourned sine die, Governor Greg Abbott called them back to what is expected to be several special legislative sessions. The first session, which began Monday night, calls for the legislators to pass bills related to border security and property tax relief.
Governor Abbott said that despite many good bills being passed in the regular session of the legisature, that more must be done. “Many critical items remain that must be passed. Several special sessions will be required,” Abbott said in a written statement. “To ensure that each priority receives the time and attention it deserves to pass into law, only a few will be added each session.”
The governor said that the first special session will focus on cracking down on human smuggling and reducing property taxes. Both of these items were designated by the governor as emergency items in the regular 140-day session.
During called special sessions, the legislature is restricted to only address issues in the governor’s call. The items for the first special session include:
- PROPERTY TAXES: Legislation to cut property-tax rates solely by reducing the school district maximum compressed tax rate in order to provide lasting property-tax relief for Texas taxpayers.
- BORDER SECURITY: Legislation solely for the purpose of increasing or enhancing the penalties for certain criminal conduct involving the smuggling of persons or the operation of a stash house.
The governor listed the passage of several key bills he intends to sign into law. Those include bills that:
- End COVID restrictions and mandates;
- Provide more than $5.1 billion to secure the border and fund the Texas National Guard, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the border wall;
- Designate Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations;
- Prosecute fentanyl deaths as murder;
- Protect women’s sports and female collegiate athletes;
- Focus community colleges on preparing Texas students for high skill careers;
- Increase electric power generation to secure the Texas power grid;
- Hold rogue district attorneys accountable;
- Protect children from life-altering gender mutilation;
- Ban illegal DEI hiring practices in our colleges and universities;
- Add $1.4 billion to make Texas schools safer;
- Require armed security at all schools;
- Provide access to mental healthcare for students at all schools; and
- Require regular safety checks of school buildings.
The Texas Senate will also have to convene in a special session to hear the impeachment trial for Attorney General Ken Paxton, Breitbart Texas reported. The first meeting is scheduled for June 20th to consider the rules for the Court of Impeachment. The trial is scheduled for no later than August 28, reports indicate.
Governor Abbott is expected to call several additional special sessions throughout the summer to deal with emergency items not passed during the regular session.
Bob Price serves as associate editor and senior news contributor for the Breitbart Texas-Border team. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday-morning talk show. Follow him on Twitter @BobPriceBBTX.