From the 87th – Special Session

Back at it again. 

After a little more than a month since the conclusion of the 87^th Regular Session, the Texas legislature is once again convened in Austin.  For the next 30-days the members of the House and Senate will file bills, run committees and debate on the floor legislation that fits within the parameters of Gov. Abbott’s “call.”  The “call” is the list of topics the governor sets out and confines the topics that can be advanced during the special session.

This special session has eleven items on the call, which includes bail reform, election integrity, boarder security, social media censorship, budget funding, family violence prevention, youth sports, abortion-inducting drugs, the “thirteenth check” for the Teacher Retirement System, critical race theory, and additional appropriation funding of tax relief, foster care system and safeguarding against cyber security.

TMHA’s Lobby Team will be actively engage this special session to make sure none of the progress achieved in the Regular Session is rolled back, as well as being on the lookout of new threats and opportunities.  The list of the call is limiting, but several areas are broad enough that efforts can and will be made to fit in additional or ancillary topics.

We currently expect this first special session to be one of several called over the coming months, with additional specials for redistricting and allocation of federal COVID relief dollars.