Summary: The third Special Session of the TX 88th Legislature began 09 October 2023, focusing on School Choice, with other issues added, like Boarder Security, Public Safety, and COVID Mandates. WPC will update and repost this blog as new information develops.
Latest Update: 07 November 2023, Monday, 09 October, 2023
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Special Session 3 , 88th TX Legislative Session
• Schools, Education Freedom, School Choice (school vouchers, school choice, public school funding, teacher pay raises)
• Willow Park Civics Blog > Schools. Special Session 3, 88th TX Legislative Session
• Willow Park Civics Blog > Schools, Students, and Education, 88th TX Legislative Session
• Border Security
•Willow Park Civics Blog> New Border Laws passed by Special Session 3, 88th TX Legislative Session, 27 October 20203
• Public Safety
• Ending COVID Restrictions (vaccine mandates)
• Only 2 Measures Reach Governor’s Desk in Third Special Session, Texas Scorecard, 06 November 22023. Excerpt. As the third special legislative session comes to an end today, lawmakers have sent to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. / One measure bans COVID-19 vaccine requirements in most settings. The other increases penalties for human smuggling and operating a stash house. / The rest of the agenda stalled out, including creating a state-level offense for illegal entry from a foreign country and addressing housing areas—like Colony Ridge—that seem to serve as magnets for illegal aliens. / Most notably, the Texas House has again thwarted Abbott's desire for a school choice program.
• Sweeping ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers heads to governor, The Texas Tribune, 31 October 2023, Excerpt. The legislation, which Republican lawmakers have been trying to pass since 2021, offers no exceptions for doctors’ offices, clinics or other health facilities.
• Texas House approves ban on COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers, The Texas Tribune, 25 October 2023. [SB 7] Violations could bring a $50,000 fine under an amendment adopted Wednesday. The bill’s sponsor said the ban would be the strongest in the nation.
• Colony Ridge development outside Houston
General Research
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• Texas Legislative Reference Library > Special Sessions of the Texas Legislature
General Articles
(See above WPC's Blogs for articles on specific bills.)
• Only 2 Measures Reach Governor’s Desk in Third Special Session, Texas Scorecard, 06 November 22023. Excerpt. As the third special legislative session comes to an end today, lawmakers have sent to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk. / One measure bans COVID-19 vaccine requirements in most settings. The other increases penalties for human smuggling and operating a stash house. / The rest of the agenda stalled out, including creating a state-level offense for illegal entry from a foreign country and addressing housing areas—like Colony Ridge—that seem to serve as magnets for illegal aliens. / Most notably, the Texas House has again thwarted Abbott's desire for a school choice program.
• House Posed to Force Fourth Special Session, Dallas Express, 05 November 2023 Excerpt.
Gov. Greg Abbott previously said he was confident school choice legislation would be passed by the end of the Texas Legislature’s third special session, but a lack of movement on the part of the House of Representatives has raised speculation that a fourth special session may be called.
House members met on Wednesday night but were told to “stand at ease” by House Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) until sometime next week, reported Fox 4 KDFW.
• The Status of Each Priority Bill in Texas' Third Special Session, The Texan, 03 November 2023, Excerpt. Here’s a rundown of where each priority bill stands heading into the final days of the third special session.
House Bills
House Bill (HB) 1 – The education omnibus that includes education savings accounts, a school funding increase, and teacher pay raises.
Filed and not referred, currently dead.
HB 4 – Creating a penalty for illegal entry into the state from a foreign nation with language to remove violators from the U.S.
Passed the House, reported favorably as substituted by the Senate Border Security Committee. The Senate’s substitute lacks the removal language.
HB 5 – Increasing the criminal penalty for human smuggling and operating a stash house.
Referred to the House State Affairs Committee.
HB 6 – Appropriating $1.5 billion for the construction of a border wall and other barriers.
Referred to the Senate Finance Committee.
HB 7 – Prohibiting private employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment.
Referred to the House State Affairs Committee.
Senate Bills
Senate Bill (SB) 1 – Creating an education savings account program worth $8,000 per student.
Referred to the House Select Committee on Educational Opportunity & Enrichment.
SB 2 – Education reform that includes an increase to the basic allotment and teacher pay bonuses and raises.
Received from the Senate in the House.
SB 4 – Increasing the criminal penalty for human smuggling and operating a stash house.
Passed both chambers and sent to the governor
SB 6 – Appropriating $1.54 billion for border security measures, including a $40 million appropriation to the Texas Department of Public Safety to fund overtime for the Colony Ridge deployment.
Received from the Senate in the House.
SB 7 – Prohibiting private employers from mandating COVID-19 vaccinations as a condition of employment.
Passed in both chambers and sent to the governor.
The Senate concurred with the House’s amendments, including the $40,000 fine increase.
SB 11 – Creating a penalty for illegal entry into the state from a foreign nation.
Left pending in the House State Affairs Committee.
• School choice, border security bills in limbo as Patrick, Phelan spar. The Center Square 03 November 2023, Excerpts. Most of Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s priority legislative items remain in limbo with just days left in the third special legislative session. Despite the governor saying last week that he’d reached an agreement with House Speaker Dade Phelan and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick on his signature school choice bill, Patrick and Phelan remain deadlocked, escalating attacks against each other on social media.
• Lawmakers Accuse Dade Phelan of ‘Flagrantly Violating’ the Constitution, Texas Scorecard, 02 November 2023, Excerpt. The 5 to 6 day weekend means the House will not pass school choice during the current special session.
• Texas Senate Moves Swiftly Through Special Session Agenda While House Meanders, Texas Scorecard, 13 October 2023. Excerpt. Senators passed measures on three of the four special session agenda items, while the House has yet to hold a committee meeting.
Public safety, vaccine mandates also on the agenda, The Center Square, 06 October 2023
• Governor Abbott Announces Third Special Session Agenda, Office of Texas Governor, 05 October 2023, Excerpts.
Special Session #3 agenda items include:
• EDUCATION FREEDOM: Legislation providing education savings accounts for all Texas schoolchildren.
• BORDER SECURITY: Legislation to do more to reduce illegal immigration by creating a criminal offense for illegal entry into this state from a foreign nation and authorizing all licensed peace officers to remove illegal immigrants from Texas. / Legislation to impede illegal entry into Texas by increasing the penalties for criminal conduct involving the smuggling of persons or the operation of a stash house. / Legislation to impede illegal entry into Texas by providing more funding for the construction, operation, and maintenance of border barrier infrastructure.
• PUBLIC SAFETY: Legislation concerning public safety, security, environmental quality, and property ownership in areas like the Colony Ridge development in Liberty County, Texas.
• ENDING COVID RESTRICTIONS: Legislation prohibiting COVID-19 vaccine mandates by private employers.
• Education savings accounts and illegal immigration will be part of third special legislative session’s focus, The Texas Tribune, 05 October 2023. Excerpts Gov. Greg Abbott announced the items lawmakers can consider when they return Monday. His agenda also includes COVID vaccine mandates and the Colony Ridge development outside Houston.
• Abbott notified legislators last week to prepare to return to Austin so that education and border issues can be addressed.The Texan, 02 October 2023, Excerpt. Abbott notified legislators last week to prepare to return to Austin so that education and border issues can be addressed.
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