Governor Greg Abbott’s 30-day special session, which he called after Texas Republicans failed to pass legislation that cracks down on state voting laws in May, is on track to be a partisan circus. In addition to restrictive new elections legislation, Abbott has also revived an assortment of other red-meat entrails that the GOP failed to get through in the regular session, which featured a slew of conservative victories, from a near-ban on abortions to permitless gun carry.
Rattled by threats posed by primary challengers, tea party darlings Allen West, Texas GOP chair, and former state senator Don Huffines, Abbott filled his special session agenda with fodder for the conservative culture wars including additional funding for border security theatrics, protections for conservatives against purported censorship by social media platforms, restricting trans kids from competing in school sports, more restrictions on abortion, an overhaul of state bail law to undermine local reforms, and a purported ban on critical race theory that will further micromanage how history and race can be taught in Texas schools. Abbott also included the restoration of funding for the legislative branch, which he defunded with a budget veto last month ostensibly as a threat to ensure that Democratic legislators behave during the special session.
The regular session, which ended on Memorial Day, ended with more drama and finger pointing than usual. Despite strong majorities in both chambers, GOP leaders botched their push to enact Senate Bill 7, a sweeping elections crackdown package. After a secretive, last-minute rewrite of the bill added a slate of controversial provisions, including limiting Sunday early voting hours and allowing judges to overturn election results if voter fraud is discovered, Republicans rushed to pass the overhauled bill without debate. The rush prompted a dramatic walkout by House Democrats, breaking quorum and killing the bill.
