Latest news with #specialsession
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
TribCast: Texas' redistricting gamble
Lawmakers return to Austin July 21 for a special session that will feature an extra-special, mid-decade redistricting effort. Will they get it done in 30 days? Will the new maps withstand legal scrutiny? Will this threaten congressional Republicans' seats long-term? Will it appease President Donald Trump, who says he wants five new seats for the GOP in Texas? Matthew and Eleanor dig into all this and more with Kareem Crayton, with the Brennan Center for Justice. Watch the video above, or subscribe to the TribCast on iTunes, Spotify, or RSS. New episodes every Tuesday. Shape the future of Texas at the 15th annual , happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin! We bring together Texas' most inspiring thinkers, leaders and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Get tickets now and join us this November. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Abbott announces redistricting will be included in Texas special session
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced on Wednesday that redistricting will be included in a legislative special session slated to take place later this month. The governor said in a release that the session will tackle '[legislation] that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.' Abbott said last month he would be calling a special session, noting a handful of bills that were either filed without signature or were vetoed that would be under consideration during the special session. However, those items did not initially include redistricting. 'We delivered on historic legislation in the 89th Regular Legislative Session that will benefit Texans for generations to come,' Abbott said in the release Wednesday. 'There is more work to be done, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country. We must ensure better preparation for such events in the future.' His announcement comes after reporting last month that President Trump's political team was pushing for midcycle redistricting. Though Texas is not due to draw new House lines until after the 2030 census, Republicans are looking to defend a narrow 220-212 House majority next year and are contending with the traditional headwinds typically associated with the president's party during midterm cycles. The inclusion of redistricting in Texas' special session drew a strong rebuke from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) who criticized the governor for his handling of the deadly flooding in Texas, saying further that in a statement that 'Instead of aggressively addressing the failures of his administration, Governor Abbott and shameless extremists are conspiring with Donald Trump and House Republicans to try to rig the election and disenfranchise millions of voters.' Republicans control the state Legislature, governor's office and state Supreme Court, meaning the party will be able to easily overcome any Democratic opposition to redrawing the state's maps. However, it remains unclear how that litigation could play out if it makes its way through the federal court system, particularly as the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Alabama's maps in 2023 for likely violating the Voting Rights Act. Another looming question is whether redistricting the maps could endanger Republicans in nearby districts and make their seats potentially more competitive. Jeffries projected confidence in his statement that the redistricting effort would put several more seats in play for Democrats. 'House Democrats will push back hard against this gerrymandering scheme. We are confident that if it goes through, it will result in making several incumbent House Republicans vulnerable to fierce general election challenges,' he said. Updated at 8:44 p.m. EDT. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
Redistricting, flood warning systems on Texas special session agenda
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a full special session agenda Wednesday, including a rumored mid-decade redistricting of congressional maps and the creation of flood warning systems in response to the deadly and destructive floods that hit Central Texas. The special session begins July 21. Flash flooding claimed more than 100 lives in Central Texas. Here's what we know about the victims Redistricting made headlines in recent weeks as the New York Times reported President Donald Trump was urging Texas Republican congressmen to redraw the state's maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. With a slim majority in the U.S. House, it would only take three flips for Democrats to retake control of the chamber. Redrawing maps to benefit the GOP could offset any losses in other parts of the country, and potentially keep the House for the GOP if the election is close. Republicans already hold 25 out of 38 congressional seats in Texas — a higher percentage of seats than Trump's 2024 vote share. Some Republicans reportedly have worries that redrawing the maps could make their seats more vulnerable if the midterm environment is favorable to Democrats. Any attempt to redraw the maps could provoke a response from Democratic governors, as California is reportedly considering a redraw of its maps should Texas move forward. Congressional maps in the country's two largest Democratic states — California and New York — are drawn by independent commissions, while the two largest Republican states — Texas and Florida — are drawn by legislators. To address flooding, legislation to improve warning systems and emergency communications in flood-prone areas of Texas is one of the first items in Abbott's release announcing the agenda. Flooding over the July 4 weekend killed over 100 people in the Texas Hill Country and surrounding counties. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 160 people remain missing in Kerr County. The release from the governor's office did not go into further detail on the system, and lawmakers such as House Speaker Dustin Burrows have said it is too early to determine any specific legislation. In addition to new warning systems, the special session agenda includes additional funding for flood relief efforts and additional regulation for natural disaster recovery and preparedness. Abbott's agenda includes eliminating the STAAR test and replacing it with alternative assessment tools, along with legislation to reduce property taxes and impose spending limits on entities authorized to levy property taxes. Several agenda items reflect conservative priorities, including legislation to make it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21 and comprehensive regulation of hemp-derived products. Abbott also seeks legislation 'further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion' and measures 'protecting women's privacy in sex-segregated spaces.' The session will consider proposals to ban taxpayer-funded lobbying, including prohibiting the use of tax dollars to hire lobbyists and payments to associations that lobby the Legislature. Abbott also wants to grant the Attorney General constitutional authority to prosecute state election crimes and protect law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unsubstantiated complaints in personnel files. The agenda includes legislation protecting human trafficking victims from criminal liability for non-violent acts tied to their victimization, strengthening protections against title theft and deed fraud, providing water project incentives for conservation measures and addressing judicial department operations. The special session begins at noon on July 21. Unlike regular sessions, special sessions are limited to 30 days and can only consider items specifically placed on the agenda by the governor. The flood response measures represent the most immediate priority, as federal and state officials continue search and recovery operations in the Hill Country and communities work to rebuild infrastructure damaged by the historic flooding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Gov. Greg Abbott orders special legislative session after vetoing 26 bills
Gov. Greg Abbott called a special session early Monday, ordering state legislators back to the Capitol to tackle six bills that he vetoed shortly before the deadline late Sunday. Among them is Senate Bill 3, which would have banned the sale of hemp products containing THC in Texas. Abbott, who said the 30-day special session will begin July 21, can still add items to the call list. In a press release, he described that list as 'initial.' He has faced pressure from President Donald Trump to ask lawmakers to redraw some of Texas' 38 U.S. House districts ahead of the 2026 midterms, but that request was not on the list release Monday. The state constitution only allows lawmakers to pass bills during special sessions on issues selected by the governor. The other bills that lawmakers will reconsider during the special session are: SB 648: Relating to recording requirements for certain instruments concerning real property SB 1253: Relating to impact and production fees for certain water projects and to the regulation of certain wells; authorizing a fee. SB 1278: Relating to an affirmative defense to prosecution for victims of trafficking of persons or compelling prostitution. SB 1758: Relating to the operation of a cement kiln and the production of aggregates near a semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility. SB 2878: Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government. Abbott released statements explaining his rationale for the vetoes. He also vetoed 18 other bills late Sunday that he did not add to the call for the special session. Those measures ranged from changes to the criminal justice system to water rights management that lawmakers had passed during the recently completed legislative session. Abbott had already vetoed two bills by the time the session closed on June 2. Among the bills Abbott vetoed was House Bill 413, which would have ensured that no defendant could be held in custody before trial for longer than the punishment they would receive if convicted. That bill, which was co-authored by a bipartisan group of five lawmakers from around the state, passed the House 126-10 and the Senate 30-1. When promoting the bill on KCEN news before its passage in May, co-author Rep. Pat Curry, R-Waco, said, 'if there's a penalty that requires two years in prison and you've spent two years waiting to go to trial, you need to be released.' Abbott vetoed the bill against the backdrop of sweeping changes to bail laws that he championed this past legislative session that sought to keep violent repeat offenders behind bars. Abbott also vetoed Senate Bill 974, which would have allowed public school teachers to serve on residential appraisal review boards. Supporters of the bill, like Rep. Chris Turner, D-Grand Prairie, had argued that the bill was necessary because "many smaller rural counties have difficulty filling their appraisal review boards during the summer months." However, the bill became a target of conservative activists who argued that the harms of letting teachers sit on these boards statewide outweighed the benefits to rural counties. Andrew McVeigh, president of Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, wrote in a letter to Abbot that he should veto the bill because appraisal review boards have the ability to influence property tax valuations, which help fund school districts. 'Letting teachers sit on these boards undermines the objectivity of the appraisal process and threatens public trust,' McVeigh wrote. The other bills Abbott that vetoed this session include: HB 305: Relating to the time period for conducting pretrial hearings after a criminal defendant has been restored to competency. HB 353: Relating to creating the criminal offense of trespass on or near school or day-care center property HB 449: Relating to the unlawful production or distribution of sexually explicit media using deep fake technology. HB 705: Relating to the Cosmetology Licensure Compact; authorizing fees. HB 1690: Relating to an application for a permit for the transfer of groundwater out of a groundwater conservation district. HB 2243: Relating to the creation of the Texas Commission on Teacher Job Satisfaction and Retention. HB 2520: Relating to the open meetings law. HB 3120: Relating to certain duties of the owner or operator of a residential child detention facility. HB 4530: Relating to water rights placed in the Texas Water Trust and the Texas Water Bank. HB 4885: Relating to the disclosure of confidential juvenile records to a managed assigned counsel program. HB 5671: Relating to the election of directors for and the authority to issue bonds of the Johnson County Special Utility District. SB 268: Relating to the procedure for certain complaints against health care practitioners. SB 378: Relating to certain prohibited practices by a barber or cosmetologist. SB 614: Relating to the authority of the Texas Forensic Science Commission to review and refer certain cases to the office of capital and forensic writs. SB 1032: Relating to the eligibility of postsecondary educational institutions to participate in the governor's university research initiative. SB 1838: Relating to the appointment of attorneys ad litem and the compensation of certain attorneys ad litem in suits affecting the parent-child relationship filed by a governmental entity. SB 1937: Relating to the testing of evidence containing biological materials in capital cases SB 2111: Relating to legal representation of indigent persons in this state and to proceedings before a magistrate including the appointment of counsel for an indigent defendant. SB 2501: Relating to selection of an attorney by an indigent parent as attorney ad litem for the parent in certain suits affecting the parent-child relationship. Big news: 20 more speakers join the TribFest lineup! New additions include Margaret Spellings, former U.S. secretary of education and CEO of the Bipartisan Policy Center; Michael Curry, former presiding bishop and primate of The Episcopal Church; Beto O'Rourke, former U.S. Representative, D-El Paso; Joe Lonsdale, entrepreneur, founder and managing partner at 8VC; and Katie Phang, journalist and trial lawyer. Get tickets. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Washington Post
24-06-2025
- Business
- Washington Post
Texas governor calls for special session after vetoing a bill to ban THC-infused goods
AUSTIN, Texas — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed a bill that would have banned consumable hemp products containing THC ingredients in the state, but said he's open to lawmakers passing a new effort to regulate what has become a booming business. In fact, he's already summoned lawmakers to a special session in July to do just that.
