After a string of late-night vetoes on Sunday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced that he will call back the Texas Legislature for a special session later this summer.
You may remember special sessions from 2023, when Texas had a whopping four of them. If not, a quick refresher: Only the governor can call a special session, and lawmakers can only pass bills during them on issues the governor outlines. Special sessions can last up to 30 days, but can end sooner.
This year's legislative overtime is set to begin on July 21. The governor's agenda includes both high-profile issues and more specific considerations related to several of the 26 bills he vetoed over the weekend. Other items could be added to the list as well.
Read on for more about what to expect come July.
Regulating THC in Texas
Gov. Abbott's last veto of the night Sunday was by far the most anticipated of the year. If allowed to go into effect, Senate Bill 3 would have completely banned Texas sales of consumable products containing tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive compound in cannabis.
Abbott cited a 2023 federal district court ruling in his veto proclamation. That ruling had blocked a similar law out of Arkansas from taking effect on the grounds that the law ran counter to the 2018 Farm Bill passed by Congress — and thus the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
"If I were to allow Senate Bill 3 to become law, its enforcement would be enjoined for years, leaving existing abuses unaddressed," Abbott said. "Texas cannot afford to wait."
Abbott spelled out the likely path for a special session, including enacting regulations that would ban the sale of THC consumables to minors and making such sales punishable as a crime, require strict product safety testing, and prohibit the marketing of THC products in a fashion likely to appeal to children.
"Passing a law is not the same thing as actually solving a problem," Abbott said. "Texas needs a bill that is enforceable and will make our communities safer today, rather than years from now."
READ MORE: Gov. Abbott vetoes Texas THC ban, calls special session to regulate hemp
An affirmative offense for victims of human trafficking
This legislation, Senate Bill 1278, would have allowed victims of human trafficking a better chance in court when charged with illegal acts they were coerced to do under a threat of harm — for instance, people who were trafficked for prostitution purposes.
The bill was supported by groups like the Texas Advocacy Project, an organization focused on helping victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.
Last month, TAP said that SB 1278 doesn't "excuse criminal conduct" but rather ensures "that due process is upheld and that victimization is appropriately considered."
But on X Sunday night, Abbott said there was a "flaw" in the bill and vetoed it.
In his veto proclamation, the governor wrote that he believed the bill meant well, but went too far. For example, Abbott said SB 1278 could have ended up allowing a person to be "immune not only for the acts of prostitution… but also for raping a child, murdering a law enforcement officer."
Abbott also touted Texas' continued support of human trafficking victims and said he hoped lawmakers could use July's special session to craft more focused legislation addressing affirmative offenses for victims.
Title theft and deed fraud
Another vetoed bill on Abbott's special session call is Senate Bill 648. That legislation has to do with title theft and deed fraud.
Gov. Abbott acknowledged the pressing need to address this issue. But in his veto proclamation, he said the bill strengthened protections in a way that would make things harder on Texans who do not have an attorney or title agent.
According to the governor, he vetoed SB 648 because he thought it would ultimately require "low-income Texas, rural residents, and those handling family land without legal assistance," to jump through additional hoops.
Abbott added that he decided to put this matter on the special session call so that lawmakers could address title and deed fraud in a way that doesn't "create separate rules for the haves and have-nots."
Other items on the special session agenda — so far
Additionally, Abbott asked state lawmakers to look at three other bills in the upcoming special session:
- Senate Bill 2878: Relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures related to proceedings in the judicial branch of state government.
- Senate Bill 1253: Relating to impact and production fees for certain water projects and to the regulation of certain wells; authorizing a fee.
- Senate Bill 1758: Relating to the operation of a cement kiln and the production of aggregates near a semiconductor wafer manufacturing facility.
Of note is that SB 1758 was not vetoed by the governor and instead allowed to go into effect immediately without Abbott's signature. As of Monday afternoon, the governor has not explained what aspect of the bill he wants lawmakers to take another look at.
It's also important to remember that this list of special session topics could grow in the four weeks before lawmakers are scheduled to gavel back in. Gov. Abbott's office called this an "initial list" of agenda items in a statement announcing the session.
The Texas Newsroom's Rachel Osier Lindley contributed additional reporting for this story.
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