AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called a second special session for Saturday with an even more expansive agenda that includes the contentious elections bill Democrats fled the state to protest and hot-button social issues, such as transgender sports.
The Republican governor is also asking the Legislature to reconsider its own rules that require a certain number of lawmakers be present to debate bills. House Democrats foiled Abbott’s first special session by leaving en masse for Washington, D.C., and depriving the chamber of a quorum.
It is unclear whether Democrats will even show up on Saturday, leaving the fate of the session in limbo.
On Thursday, Abbott promised to keep reconvening lawmakers in Austin until the elections legislation and other priorities get to his desk.
“Passing these Special Session agenda items will chart a course towards a stronger and brighter future for the Lone Star State,” Abbott said in a statement.
Other items on his 17-issue agenda include addressing “border security,” overhauling the state’s bail system and further restricting abortion-inducing drugs. The highly partisan agenda is largely favored by Republican lawmakers who control the Legislature and the GOP primary voters they are courting. Abbott, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick and every member of the House and Senate are up for reelection in 2022.
There are some bipartisan issues on the call. They include giving a bonus pension check to retired teachers who haven’t received a cost-of-living increase in years and additional money to raise rates to attract more foster care providers, needed to help ease a dire capacity shortage.
Lawmakers must also take up their own funding, which Abbott vetoed after Democrats’ staged a walkout in the regular session that killed his priority elections bill. Legislative staffers are at risk of losing their jobs by September if the money is not restored to the state budget.
A majority of House Democrats have been camped out in Washington, D.C., for the last month to protest the GOP elections bill they decry as voter suppression. The legislation, touted by Republicans as an elections integrity measure, would ban 24-hour and drive-through voting, extend protections to partisan poll watchers and add new requirements for mail-in balloting.
In the next special session, it remains to be seen whether Republicans will make any further changes to the bill or dig in.
Abbott’s call also includes a number of education issues including legislation similar to the “anti-critical race theory” bill that was passed during the regular session and a 13th check for retired educators.
Lawmakers who remained in Austin advanced both issues during the current special session.
The governor’s announcement also allows legislators to take up issues related to helping students recover from the COVID-19 pandemic including ensuring that “in-person learning is available for any student whose parent wants it.”
Abbott reiterated lawmakers could take up proposals that would ensure mask use remains “not mandatory” and COVID-19 vaccines are “always voluntary.”
Abbott’s call allows lawmakers to take up the issue of state funding for virtual education programs, a spokeswoman said.
School leaders have called in recent days for lawmakers to approve funding so districts can offer their students virtual learning. If lawmakers don’t act, school districts will have to fund virtual programs out of pocket, in what will likely be an expensive endeavor aimed at accommodating students not comfortable with in-person learning.
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(Dallas Morning News staff writer Emily Donaldson in Dallas contributed to this report.)
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