By Allie Morris
AUSTIN — 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 enough representatives to consider legislation.
Yet it is unclear whether Democrats will even show up on Saturday, leaving the fate of the session in limbo.
Rep. Gina Hinojosa, D-Austin, declined to reveal the caucus’ plan during a Thursday press conference.
“The thing about fighting as a minority party is that frequently, our strategy must be kept secret,” she said. “I will say this: we will fight the suppression session and the Republican effort to deny Texans access to vote – we will fight that with as much vigor as we have until this point.”
On Thursday, Abbott promised to keep reconvening lawmakers in Austin until his agenda is passed.
“I will continue to call special session after special session to reform our broken bail system, uphold election integrity, and pass other important items that Texans demand and deserve,” he said in a statement. “Passing these Special Session agenda items will chart a course towards a stronger and brighter future for the Lone Star State.”
Other items on his 17-issue agenda include addressing “border security”, overhauling the state’s bail system and further restricting abortion inducing drugs. The transgender sports bill would require trans student athletes to play only on teams that match the sex on their original birth certificate.
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 re-election in 2022.
Bipartisan, school issues
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 and benefits on Sept. 1 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.
Patrick said Thursday the Senate will begin committee hearings this weekend and have bills on the floor by next week.
“I look forward to a productive special session for the people of Texas,” he said in a statement.
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.” They can also consider 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 amid the ongoing pandemic.
New COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are surging across Texas, driven largely by the highly contentious delta variant. Much of the spread is in unvaccinated people, according to state officials, and children under age 12 are not yet eligible for a shot.
Abbott is also asking lawmakers to revive a bill he vetoed that would require Texas middle and high school students to be taught about domestic violence, dating violence and child abuse. The legislation, known as the “Christine Blubaugh Act,” is named for a Grand Prairie 16-year-old who was murdered by her ex-boyfriend in 2000. In his proclamation, Abbott insisted parents should be able to opt out of their kids’ receiving such instruction.
New items
The newly called special session has 17 items, while the first covered 13. The additions include:
— Allocating federal funding to cover COVID-19-related healthcare expenses, such as surge staffing, vaccine administration and testing.
— Modifying the 2022 primary election timeline, since delays in the release of new census data will likely push back the redrawing of political districts.
— Banning cities and counties from regulating paid sick leave, hiring practices, employment benefits or scheduling practices.
— Changing the laws governing radioactive waste, by “further limiting the ability to store and transport high-level radioactive materials in this state.”
Staff writer Emily Donaldson in Dallas and Raga Justin in Washington D.C. contributed to this report.
