Table of Contents
Welcome to the latest edition of Texas Legislative News for the 89th Texas Legislature. In this regular feature, we provide information on disability-related issues and bills under consideration at the State Capitol. We also explain how lawmakers conduct business, and we share details on upcoming TCDD events.
Lawmakers Begin Special Session
Texas lawmakers returned to the Capitol on Monday, July 21, to begin a special session of the Legislature. The House and Senate have 30 days to complete business during the special session.
What is a special session?
A special session is a formal gathering of the full Legislature that takes place outside of the regular session. The governor has sole authority to call a special session and set its agenda. Lawmakers have up to 30 days to work on those issues. The governor can also add more items to the agenda as the special session progresses.
Lawmakers are not required to consider all the items on the governor’s agenda. But if they adjourn with some work unfinished, the governor can call them back for another special session. There’s no limit to the number of special sessions the governor can call.
What are they considering?
Gov. Greg Abbott issued a list of 18 items to be considered in the special session. Some examples of items on the governor’s list include legislation to:
- improve early warning systems and other preparedness infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas;
- evaluate and streamline rules and regulations to speed preparedness for and recovery from natural disasters;
- eliminate the STAAR test and replace it with effective tools to assess student progress and ensure school district accountability;
- make it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21; and
- provide a revised Congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.
Shortly after convening on July 21, the House and Senate announced several new committees:
- House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting
- House Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding
- Senate Special Committee on Congressional Redistricting
- Senate Select Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding
These committees will lead each chamber’s work on their respective issues. In some cases, House and Senate committees will meet jointly or in locations around the state. You can find live and archived broadcasts of committee hearings on the House and Senate websites. A full list of upcoming hearings can be found on the Capitol website.
TCDD will track disability-related issues that come up during the special session and work with other organizations to ensure that the needs of the disability community are considered in discussions related to emergency preparedness and other key matters.
Stay Informed
Stay up to date on how lawmakers address disability issues by following us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and LinkedIn. You can also visit our Policy section to learn more about our public policy engagement and find resources to support your own legislative advocacy.
