The second special session of the 89th Texas Legislature adjourned on Sept. 4. Abbott had called the session to discuss a range of issues, including congressional maps, THC regulation, the Central Texas floods and gender identity in public bathrooms.
After breaking quorum to block plans to redraw the state’s congressional maps, Texas Democrats returned to the state days after the start of the second special session.
What bills were signed into law this session?
Senate Bill 1, or the Heaven’s 27 Camp Safety Act, honors the 27 campers and counselors of Camp Mystic who died in the July 4 floods. SB 1 updates campground safety, requires staff training for emergency preparedness and requires campgrounds to have operable devices to receive weather and emergency alerts issued by the National Weather Service. Campground owners are required to renovate existing cabins located in a flood plain, and building new cabins in these areas is prohibited.
House Bill 1 requires youth camp operators to adopt and annually update emergency plans, including natural disasters such as floods.
House Bill 4 redistricts the state’s congressional maps and redefines the boundaries. Usually, this process takes place every decade, with the last redistricting in 2021 when Texas was assigned two more districts, according to the Texas Legislative Council. Texas Democrats have called this redistricting a “deliberate violation” of the Voting Rights Act and said it will dilute the voting power of marginalized districts by dividing populations across new boundaries.
What bills are enrolled, but not signed by Abbott?
When a bill is enrolled, both the Texas House and Senate have passed identical versions of the legislation. There are currently 16 bills enrolled from this special session. Abbott has until Sept. 24 to decide the fate of these bills. If he does not take action on a bill, it will automatically go into law.
House Bill 7, known as the Woman and Child Protection Act, prohibits a physician or other medical professional from providing “abortion-inducing” drugs to women. The bill would allow people to sue anyone who provides or creates these drugs. Distributing abortion medication through the mail or from out of state is prohibited.
Senate Bill 8, known as the Texas Women’s Privacy Act, assigns specific spaces and facilities according to biological sex and genitalia. The measure prohibits transgender people from using bathrooms or other similar facilities that align with their gender identity.
What legislative issues and topics remain unresolved?
The legislature failed to agree on a bill that would regulate THC products. The Senate passed its version of Senate Bill 6, but the House’s version of the bill stalled, leaving the current status quo on THC in place. Abbott issued an executive order on Sept. 10 to call on state agencies to regulate THC products and restrict people under the age of 21 from purchasing them.
“Texas will not wait when it comes to protecting children and families,” Abbott said in a press release.
