Texas in the News Quiz September 13, 2021

Special Session

Making his case that the legislature didn’t tackle all of his priority issues, Governor Greg Abbott used his executive power to call a second special session of the Texas legislature in August of 2021. The atmosphere was tense in Austin. Earlier in the legislative session, Democratic legislators broke the quorum requirements needed to take legislative action in the Texas House (requiring 2/3 of the 150 members to be present), grinding the process to a halt. The Democrats who fled the state to Washington, D.C. complained that the Governor’s veto of legislative funds was an assault on the legislative branch and that voting legislation was too harsh, arguing a “walkout” to break quorum was the only way to save voting rights. Republicans claimed the voting rights legislation was needed to make voting more secure, and, in any case, Democrats should fight those battles in Austin.

Read the following articles that summarize the end of the session political battles, legislative outcomes, and what’s to come next.

. Which of the following legislation did the second called session of the legislature not pass?

. Why did Governor Abbott claim the need to veto the animal cruelty bill?

. What big issue is coming up for the legislature?

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