Texas Gov. Abbott's agenda for the upcoming special legislative session is a litany of right-wing causes

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Texas Gov. Abbott's agenda for the upcoming special legislative session is a litany of right-wing causes
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott vetoed Article X of the state budget, effectively defunding the entire legislature. Eric Gay/AP
  • Texas Gov. Greg Abbott released an agenda for an upcoming special legislative session on Wednesday.
  • The agenda features discussions on a number of right-wing causes during the session.
  • Issues on the agenda include voting restrictions, critical race theory, abortion rights, and anti-trans rules.
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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's agenda for an upcoming special state legislative session lists nearly a dozen right-wing issues as topics of discussion.

The agenda, published on the governor's website on Wednesday, says officials will be considering legislation on voting restrictions, critical race theory, abortion rights, and regulations for transgender athletes, among a litany of other issues during the session.

It also includes funding the state congress after Abbott vetoed all funding for the legislature from the budget in May after Democrats staged a walkout and broke quorum.

Abbott's special session agenda does not include anything related to the state's electrical grid that froze over in February and was further strained during a June heatwave. Lawmakers enacted two new pieces of legislation to "weatherize" the grid in the recent session, but the laws do not require grid upgrades until 2022 at the earliest.

The special legislative session is set to start on Thursday morning. Texas' Constitution restricts special sessions to a maximum of 30 days where lawmakers are paid a per diem of $221. As governor, Abbott can call the legislature back in for as many special sessions as he wants until the 88th legislative session begins in January 2023.

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Abbott said in a statement that he has "unfinished business" to attend to in the upcoming special session.

"The 87th Legislative Session was a monumental success for the people of Texas, but we have unfinished business to ensure that Texas remains the most exceptional state in America," Abbott said. "These Special Session priority items put the people of Texas first and will keep the Lone Star State on a path to prosperity. I look forward to working with my partners in the Legislature to pass this legislation as we build a brighter future for all who call Texas home."

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