Abbott calls second special session as House Democrats remain in Washington

Fulfilling his vow to keep pressure on House Democrats who left the state, Gov. Greg Abbott directed lawmakers to return to Austin for a second special session to begin Saturday, one day after the current special session will end with nothing accomplished thanks to the Democratic quorum break.

The prime motivation behind the second overtime period remains passage of a GOP overhaul of state voting laws — an effort that has been blocked to date by Democratic walkouts at the end of the regular session in May and at the beginning of the first special session last month.

In addition to the voting legislation, the second session will have the same conservative-pleasing agenda as the first, with Abbott pressing for higher spending on border security, restrictions on drug-induced abortions, limits on transgender student athletes and restrictions on how race can be discussed in the classroom.

But the governor also beefed up the new agenda, adding requests for lawmakers to ban mask and vaccine mandates in schools while ensuring that in-person learning is available "for any student whose parent wants it."

In another new twist, Abbott directed lawmakers to revisit quorum rules that require two-thirds of representatives and senators to be present to conduct business.

The quorum rules, established in the Texas Constitution, allowed the minority party in the 150-member House to block all action in the current special session, which ends Friday, after more than 50 Democrats relocated to Washington. Although the Senate quickly passed a number of bills requested by Abbott last month, the legislation stalled, unable to be accepted by the House without the presence of a quorum.

More: Quorum-busting Texas Democrats joined in D.C. by lawmakers from other states

New bills will have to be filed, and new committee hearings held, to advance the same legislation in the second special session.

The Legislature, Abbott said, has a responsibility to finish the work needed to "chart a course towards a stronger and brighter future for the Lone Star State."

"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," Abbott said in a written statement.

Political opponents said Abbott's agenda puts Texas on the wrong path.

"The decision to call a second special session is nothing more than a partisan power grab to distract us from the real challenges our communities face, like taking action to slow the spread of the delta variant and address our failing energy grid," said Stephanie Gómez, associate director of Common Cause Texas.

"This is not leadership," said Carisa Lopez with the Texas Freedom Network. "This is a tyrannical dictator who will stop at nothing to push through extreme, right-wing legislation at the expense of everyday Texans."

House Democrats, who have spent most of the past month in Washington, have not publicly discussed their plans for the second special session.

Fueled by donations, the Democrats have spent their time away rallying support from Democrats across the country and pressuring Congress to pass national voting rights legislation. They argue that the GOP bills in Texas would erect unnecessary barriers to voting and give too much power to partisan poll watchers, while Republicans say the measures, including stiffer penalties for voting fraud, are needed to bolster confidence in election results.

In Texas, the House Republican Caucus praised Abbott for delivering a "bold agenda," and Matt Rinaldi, a former Texas House member who is now chairman of the state Republican Party, called on absent Democrats to return to Austin "and do their jobs."

"Republicans are wasting no time in getting the Texas Legislature back to work and will continue special sessions until Democrats return. There is no endgame for Texas House Democrats," Rinaldi said.

The governor is the only official with the power to call a 30-day special session and set its agenda, and Abbott has said that he is willing to keep calling lawmakers back for as many sessions as it takes to pass his priorities.

The second special session will look much like the first, with Abbott once again directing lawmakers to limit bail options for those accused of violent or sexual offenses and to tackle complaints that social media companies are censoring conservatives.

Other repeat agenda items included:

** Adding a "13th check," a one-time payment, for retired teachers.

** Appropriating money for property-tax relief, addressing cybersecurity threats and attracting private providers to the foster care system.

** Further limiting Texas teachers from using critical race theory, which explores how racism and racial inequity shaped the nation, in the classroom.

** Limiting the availability of abortion-inducing drugs to the first seven weeks of pregnancy, instead of 10 weeks as allowed under federal guidelines, and ban sending medication by mail or delivery service.

** Enhancing criminal laws and providing money to "support law enforcement agencies, counties, and other strategies as part of Texas' comprehensive border security plan." Abbott's proposals include building a barrier along the Texas-Mexico border after President Joe Biden halted former President Donald Trump's wall-building initiative.

Abbott also asked lawmakers to try again on a measure he vetoed after the regular session, Senate Bill 1109, which required middle schools and high schools to provide instruction on preventing child abuse, family violence and dating violence. Parents must have the right to opt their children out of the instruction, something SB 1109 failed to do, he said.

Critically, Abbott's agenda included an opportunity to restore funding for the Legislature, affiliated agencies and employees that he vetoed in retaliation for the Democratic walkout at the end of the regular session.

That money will run out on Sept. 1. If the special session lasts the full 30 days, it would end Sept. 5.

Agenda items new to the second session included Abbott's call to modify the filing periods and election dates for primary elections in 2022.

Late-arriving data from the 2020 Census will require the Legislature to meet in another special session this fall to redraw political districts, raising concerns that delays could impact the primaries, now set for March 1.

Abbott also pressed lawmakers to limit the ability to store and transport high-level radioactive materials in Texas and, bowing to pressure from business groups, directed the Legislature to overrule city and county ordinances and regulations that require paid leave and limit hiring and scheduling practices.

On budget issues, Abbott asked lawmakers to earmark available revenue for pandemic-related health care costs, including the staffing needs of medical professionals and support for nursing homes, alternative care locations and vaccine distribution and COVID-19 testing sites.

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