FOX 7 Discussion: Texas Legislature ends third special session

AUSTIN, Texas - The Texas Legislature adjourned from its third special session early this morning.

The primary focus of the most recent 30-day special session was to redraw the state’s political maps for the next 10 years, based on new population data from the census. But lawmakers also worked on how to spend billions in federal COVID-19 relief funds and signed off on a last-minute proposal that will put to voters whether to increase the homestead property tax exemption.

While most of Gov. Greg Abbott's agenda items were passed into law, state lawmakers did not heed his call to advance legislation to prohibit vaccine mandates by any Texas entity, including hospitals and private businesses. Abbott’s executive order banning the vaccine mandates, however, is still in effect.

Abbott has given no indication so far of whether he will call another special session to tackle his unfinished agenda items.

Ed Espinosa, the president of Progress Texas, and former Texas GOP Chairman James Dickey join Mike Warren to discuss the third special session.

The Texas Tribune contributed to this article

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