Texas special legislative session has ‘tense’ start. Voting bills gather attention.
New voting bills and political tension hung over the first day of the special legislative session as lawmakers returned to Austin to take up an agenda packed with conservative priorities.
The floor proceedings in both chambers were relatively quick as the Senate and House of Representatives gaveled in, marking the start of the 30-day session where lawmakers will consider topics set by Abbott such as “election integrity,” border security, critical race theory and transgender students’ participation on sports teams matching their gender identity.
But while the proceedings were brief, the chambers were fast to start the referral of bills to committee for consideration, including the chambers’ respective omnibus election bills — this round’s versions of Senate Bill 7 that died after House Democrats walked out and broke quorum near the close of the regular session.
Brandon Rottinghaus, a University of Houston political science professor, described the tone of the session as it began with a single word: “Tense.”
“The governor has been feuding with the legislature, especially Democrats,” he said. “The speaker (of the House) has been feuding with the lieutenant governor. Republican members have been feuding Democratic members.”
Penalties proposed for walkouts
One of the first signs of lingering tensions was a resolution filed by Rep. Tony Tinderholt, an Arlington Republican. The proposed change to House rules would create penalties for representatives who break quorum, such as being removed from a committee or as committee chair.
“I think one of the most disrespectful, unethical things that a legislator can do is leave when they don’t like what they’re voting on,” Tinderholt said. “Regardless of which party you’re in and regardless of what the topic is, our job is to come here and vote. That’s what we do.”
Tinderholt brought up the resolution on the floor when he asked Speaker Dade Phelan from the back of the chamber about processes for expediting the measure. Special sessions last 30 days compared to 140 days during the regular session.
Soon after he left the mic, Rep. Chris Turner, a Grand Prairie Democrat, took it over with a question of his own. After the walkout, Abbott followed through on a promise to veto funding to the legislature. Turner asked: “Would it be within the legislature’s purview to re-appropriate funds from Article One, including the governor’s office, to other items in the state budget?”
He put it more bluntly in a news conference held by House Democrats after the chamber adjourned for the day.
“If the governor thinks he can defund the legislature, then my question is, can the legislature go and defund the governor?” said Turner, who chairs the House Democratic Caucus.
Abbott’s motives questioned
He and other Democrats criticized the slate of items on the agenda for lawmakers to consider over the next month. Turner said Abbott’s agenda stems from a focus on politics as primary opponents announce their candidacies for 2022 and there has been speculation about Abbott’s possible presidential ambitions in 2024.
Later, Turner and other Democrats would join advocates from the group Black Voters Matter outside the Capitol to rally against this session’s voting legislation. People gathered on the building’s steps holding signs, some of which read “Don’t Mess with Texas Voters.”
The Senate’s omnibus election bill is Senate Bill 1, which was filed by Sen. Brian Hughes, a Mineola Republican, on Thursday. Rep. Andrew Murr, a Junction Republican, will carry the House’s version of the bill, House Bill 3. The bills vary but both preclude 24-hour voting, bar election officials from soliciting applications to vote by mail and offer protections for poll watchers. Both are set for committee hearings on Saturday.
“They don’t want your voice. They don’t want to hear from you. That’s why they’re having hearings this Saturday,” said Rep. Nicole Collier, a Fort Worth Democrat who chairs the Legislative Black Caucus. “They don’t think you’re going to show up. But we’re going to show them, because we’re going to show up and show out and make sure that our voices are heard.”
State Rep. Charlie Geren, a Fort Worth Republican, is on the newly formed Constitutional Rights and Remedies select committee that will hear the bill in the House. He was pleased to see that the portion of the conference committee version of the bill related to overturning elections wasn’t in the new version. He called it a “good bill.”
“I’m going to pay attention to everything they have to say,” he said. “There’ll be people on both sides, and it’s a 47 page bill so there’s a lot to talk about.”
Election bills a priority
State Rep. Matt Krause, a Fort Worth Republican, said the bills will be important this session — their low bill numbers are emblematic of that. Not getting Senate Bill 7 passed at the end of the session is the reason lawmakers are back now, he said.
“I think it’s almost kind of front and center,” he said. “Republicans are ready to get back and make sure that we put protections in place that make voting easier and cheating harder, and we’re excited about getting that into law and making sure we do that for the betterment of Texas overall.”
Looking at the session agenda as a whole, Krause said it’s bold and will allow lawmakers to finish work that wasn’t completed during the regular session. Tinderholt said there are many items he supports on the agenda, though there are some other things he would have liked to have seen included. He pointed to the power grid and legislation banning gender-affirming health care for transgender kids as examples.
Asked about the tone on the floor, Krause said he found the day’s proceedings to be cordial. But he did acknowledge that there’s tension as the session starts. Tinderholt agreed.
“I think a lot of legislators have personal relationships with each other regardless of party affiliation,” Tinderholt said. “But when it comes to the professional, the colleague portion, I think there is a lot of frustration. They didn’t uphold their duty. They literally walked away.”
Turner called it “not a great atmosphere.”
“The governor sets the tone in a special session,” he said. “And the governor set a very bad tone this session with his host of far right items he’s demanding the legislature pass.”
This story was originally published July 8, 2021 at 5:25 PM.
