Week in Review: A Digest of Capitol News

Legislative Leaders Announce Friday End to First Special Session

On Tuesday, news broke that the current special session is expected to adjourn before reaching its constitutionally mandated 30-day limit.

Gov. Greg Abbott had already said he would call as many special sessions as needed to deliver redrawn congressional districts. Still hanging by a thread was the possibility that the standoff would end, absent House Democrats would return, and a weekend flurry would send a new congressional district map to Abbott for final approval.

That slim hope was dashed when House Democratic Caucus Chair Gene Wu (D-Houston) responded, "After deliberation among our caucus, we have reached a consensus: Texas House Democrats refuse to give him a quorum … the First Called Special Session will never make quorum again."

One Ends, Another Begins

A resolution will come, but until then, ping ponging statements will fly like training camp footballs in these dog days of summer. The latest from Abbott:

"With the Texas House and Senate today announcing they are prepared to sine die on Friday, I will call the Texas Legislature back immediately for Special Session #2. The Special Session #2 agenda will have the exact same agenda, with the potential to add more items critical to Texans. There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed."

Read more here.

Senate Sets Stage for Disaster Relief Funding

Senate Bill 3 by Sen. Joan Huffman (R-Houston) appropriates $294 million from the Rainy Day Fund, formally known as the Economic Stabilization Fund (ESF), to pay for disaster relief and recovery efforts related to the July 4 weekend floods. The ESF exists to respond to natural disasters and other designated priorities. Fortunately, a healthy balance exists.

Indeed, the comptroller's forecast predicts the fund will exceed its constitutional cap and reach $28.5 billion by the end of the two-year budget that begins Sept. 1.

When lawmakers return to action, the stage will have been set to take up disaster relief funding. The Senate will likely put forth legislation similar to SB 3, which allocates:

• $200 million from the ESF for matching funds for FEMA reimbursement.
• $50 million from the ESF for grants to local governments within Abbott's flood disaster declaration. Funding provides for the purchase of sirens, early warning systems, rain gauges and other equipment.
• $24 million from the ESF for meteorological forecasting.
• $20 million from the ESF to provide grants to the Harris Fort Bend Emergency Services District No. 100 for a swift water training facility for operation and rescue to prepare first responders.

The first special session ends this week in a stalemate with zero bills passed. SB 3 is likely a preview to the Legislature's eventual disaster relief efforts. It provides a starting framework and, importantly, designates the ESF as the funding source for whatever disaster relief, recovery and preventative measures the House and Senate can agree to when they return for another special session.

Legislative Directory Available

The Texas Association of Counties' 2025-26 Legislative Directory remains available for order. The directory includes contact information for lawmakers, committees, county official associations and TAC's Legislative Services team.

Order free your copies here.

Week in Review is a collaborative column from TAC Legislative Services.