AUSTIN (WBAP/KLIF News) – Governor Greg Abbott called for a special session of the Texas Legislature on Tuesday to address sunset bills and 19 other items such including the privacy rights of women and children in public bathrooms, school finance and property taxes.
The special session will begin July 18th and Abbott said the first order of business will be to tackle sunset legislation that failed to pass during the regular session.
“This is necessary legislation to make sure that agencies like the Texas Medical Board functioning and operating. Without this legislation Texas would be unable to hire new doctors or to regulate the practice of medicine,” he said.
Abbott said all sunset bills will be the only legislation on the special session until they pass out of the Senate in full. He said Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick ensured him that he could pass sunset legislation out of the Senate within 2 to 3 days.
After that, Abbot said the session will deal with what he described as “unfinished business.
He said he wants lawmakers to pass a bill preempting any local ordinances on transgender bathroom use while prohibiting discrimination.
“To avoid a patchwork quilt of conflicting local regulations, is for Texas to establish a single statewide rule protecting the privacy and women and children,” he said.
Other issues Abbott laid out for lawmakers to tackle included an overhaul of the way Texas funds public education and said he wants to see a bill that would increase teacher’s pay by $1,000.
“Nothing is more important than our children. Their future and our future is shaped by the quality of their education. My job as Governor is to make sure that we attract and retain great educators. Too many of our great teachers are underpaid,” he said.
The Governor said he also wants to see legislation that reduces, restricts and prohibits local regulations.
Abbott said his ultimate goal is to pass legislation that makes the state run better with its citizens in mind.
“”If I am going to ask taxpayers to foot the bill for a special session, I intend to make it count,” said Abbot.
Copyright 2017. WBAP/KLIF News. All Rights Reserved.
