AUSTIN, Texas — The third special legislative session ended on Tuesday, but lawmakers were called right back in for a fourth session that same afternoon.
Gov. Abbott issued a proclamation about the items that would be on the fourth special session, which got underway just a couple hours after the third special session ended.
The items on Gov. Abbott’s agenda for the latest special session are education and border security. The third session ended with no movement on school vouchers and little on border security.
For education, he listed legislation related to primary and secondary education, which would include creating an education savings account program, as well as the certification, compensation and health coverage for certain public school employees. He also mentioned legislation related to school safety measures and state funding.
As for border security, Gov. Abbott wants lawmakers to focus on legislation that would create criminal offenses for entering the state illegally or illegal re-entry. He also mentioned legislation that focuses on border barrier infrastructure, as well as more funding for DPS border security operations. That includes overtime for presences in Colony Ridge in Liberty County. Some conservatives claimed Colony Ridge, the rapidly-growing development of 40,000-plus residents is a hub for drug cartels, undocumented immigrants, and crime.