Topline

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) brushed off calls from fellow Republicans to hold a special legislative session to pass a series of highly controversial bills, telling legislators it's time to "stop fighting" and warning if a special session is called the only bills coming are "things that I want to see passed."

Key Facts

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick (R) and a handful of members of the deeply conservative Texas Freedom Caucus want a special session to pass three bills: one would ban transgender students from playing school sports using their chosen identity, another would allow lawsuits against social media companies for censorship claims and the third would limit taxpayer-funded lobbying.

The bills are highly popular among the GOP's Trump-supporting base, and similar bills have been passed in other states with heavily Republican legislatures.

Texas House Democrats used stalling tactics that kept the bills from being passed by a Tuesday night deadline required for them to stay alive in the current session.

The regular legislative session ends on May 31, but Abbott said he's worried more critical legislation will now be held up by those wanting to force a special session.

Crucial Quote

"That's pretty goofy," Abbott said of Patrick's request for a special session. “Everybody knows there’s only one person with the authority to call a special session, and that’s the governor. And only I have that ability. And only I will execute that authority.” 

Key Background

The dispute over the special session is just the latest instance of simmering tensions between Abbott and members of his own party. The governor was widely popular before the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, but many conservatives lashed out over what they saw as heavy-handed restrictions on businesses. That sparked a protest led by the state GOP chairman outside of Abbott’s house, with the Republican Party also filing a lawsuit against him after he used his emergency powers to expand early voting for the 2020 presidential election. He's since come under fire from Democrats and independents for the state's response to the February storms that paralyzed the state, along with decisions like the one to ban vaccine passports. A tracker from the University of Texas shows more Texans now disapprove of Abbott's performance than approve of him for the first time since he took office in 2015.

Tangent

Enacting a transgender ban in youth sports would have put the upcoming major college sports championships the state is set to host into doubt, since the NCAA said it would pull events from states that aren't "free of discrimination."

Further Reading

Gov. Abbott Pushes Back on Lieutenant Governor’s Call for a Special Session (The Texan)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott Sued By His Own Republican Party Over Expanding Early Voting (Forbes)

Texas Senate Passes Transgender Sports Ban, Putting State’s NCAA Championships In Doubt (Forbes)