Texas Governor Calls Another Special Session, Extending Redistricting Battle

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) ordered a second 30-day special legislative session Friday, following through on his promise to continue convening the state legislature to thwart Democrats’ efforts to block a GOP redistricting effort that could add five Republican seats in Congress. 

Most Democrats serving in the Texas House left the state Aug. 3, depriving Republicans of enough members present to hold a vote on the congressional map. The Texas Senate passed the map this week, after two Democrats remained in the chamber, allowing Republicans to hold a vote on the controversial plan. Republicans need both chambers to pass the map in order for it to go into effect.

The second special session begins Aug. 15 at noon.

Abbott called a special session last month, just two days after the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) sent a letter to Abbott and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton claiming that four congressional districts with Black and Latino representatives were unconstitutionally racially gerrymandered.

In the first special session agenda, Abbott cited “constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice” as the reason for the state to redistrict. House and Senate Democrats pressed DOJ leadership to appear at public hearings to answer questions about the claims, but federal officials did not participate.

With this second session, however, Abbott dropped the pretext and simply put on the agenda “legislation that provides a congressional redistricting plan.”