Governor Abbott lists Hill Country tragedy response, THC regulation among key priorities.
BELL COUNTY, Texas — Texas legislators are gearing up for a special session set to begin next week, marking the ninth time Governor Greg Abbott has called lawmakers back to Austin during his decade-long tenure. The session comes with a focused agenda that includes emergency response improvements following a recent Hill Country tragedy, THC regulations, and several contentious social issues.
State Representative Hillary Hickland, who represents House District 55, expressed optimism about the opportunity to revisit key legislation during the special session.
“The regular session is so fast and furious,” Hickland said. “The idea that we get a second pass at some of these issues is great.”
Four agenda items directly relate to the recent Hill Country tragedy. The lawmaker emphasized the collaborative response efforts and the need for improved preventative measures.
“I have been so impressed at the level of response from local, state, and federal resources coming together to deal with the aftermath and definitely looking for ways to just strengthen preventative measures in any way we can,” she said.
Rather than focusing on blame, Hickland said legislators are looking for areas where emergency response can be enhanced. One key area of discussion involves early warning systems for remote areas with limited cell phone coverage.
“There’s a lot of talk about sirens that are similar to the tornado sirens, especially in areas like those valley, remote rural valley areas that don’t have great cell phone reception or maybe camps where the campers don’t have cell phones,” she said. “And so any kind of early detection that we can give, especially in areas where minutes really matter and make a difference.”
Beyond emergency response, the session will revisit several bills from the regular session, including measures focused on tax reduction and property tax relief. Lawmakers will also take another look at THC regulation, with Hickland emphasizing the importance of good policy.
“I am in favor of regulations… We want to make sure that we get it right, and we allow those who have found relief in that to access it, but also that we are protecting children,” she said.
The session’s agenda includes a call to redraw the state’s congressional districts, which has raised concerns about potential gerrymandering. Hickland, who is on the redistricting committee, addressed these concerns, stating that legislators take the redistricting process seriously.
“It’s something that we take very seriously,” she said. “We want to make sure that our districts reflect the populations that they represent,” she said.
Other highly debated topics on the agenda include abortion guidelines, tax-funded lobbying, property taxes and regulations concerning spaces based on biological sex. Hickland acknowledged that these issues will likely generate significant debate but emphasized the importance of addressing them.
“I anticipate somewhat of a contentious debate on a lot of these topics, but it needs to happen and we don’t shy away from a fight,” she concluded.
The special session is expected to begin one week from today, bringing lawmakers back to the Capitol to tackle these pressing issues during what is typically the legislature’s off-season.