With a Special Session Set, Governor Abbott Eyes The Future
We now know when the first special session for the Texas Legislature will be. Texas Governor Greg Abbott and his office announced July 8th as the date for the first special session in Austin.
It's not completely known yet what the Governor will ask lawmakers to take up during the first special session. Though the Governor has already discussed Election Integrity and Bail Reform as two items that would appear during a special session. In recent weeks, Governor Abbott has also discussed having lawmakers go further in banning critical race theory from the state and schools according to the Texas Tribune.
Abbott has already said that he plans to ask state lawmakers to work on two priority elections and bail bills that died in the final hours of the regular legislative session after House Democrats walked out of the chamber. More recently, Abbott has said the agenda for the Legislature’s overtime round will also include further restricting in schools the teaching of critical race theory, which refers to an academic discipline that views race as a social construct.
Something I believe the Governor will want to do is make big headlines like he has been lately. This is a Governor right now who is throwing his political power around and making sure that he remains a force heading into 2022 and remains in the discussion for 2024.
Abbott is already enjoying fresh 2024 Presidential speculation and during one or two special sessions, he can capitalize on that speculation and attempt to chip away at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis and his rise in popularity. Passing voter integrity legislation and killing Critical Race Theory from being taught in schools serve as both good policy and good Presidential Politics.
For Abbott, these special sessions in 2021 aren't just about today. They are about 2022 and 2024.
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