Bail Reform, Election Security lead Special Session Agenda with no action planned on Texas power grid
HOUSTON - Governor Greg Abbott has called a Special Legislative Session Thursday and according to State Senator John Whitmire of Houston, who spoke on the agenda set, it's fair to say Governor Greg Abbott has made it a busy one.
"I'm looking at a Christmas list of issues...you name it and it's on there," said Whitmire.
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Topping the list, Bail Reform, followed by election integrity, border security, social media censorship, and abortion drugs. Also included Critical Race Theory, Transgender Youth and sports, teacher retirement, and multiple appropriations issues.
What's important to you? Special session in Texas begins Thursday
Gov. Greg Abbott has announced the agenda for the special legislative session that begins Thursday, asking lawmakers to prioritize 11 issues that largely appeal to conservatives who wanted more out of the regular session. So we caught up with Houston area residents to find out what's important to them.
Noticeably absent, any action to improve the reliability of the fragile Texas Power Grid.
"ERCOT and the reliability of our energy source is what is still on people's minds," Whitmire said. "It's not on the call. I personally believe we are no better prepared for the next freeze than we were the last one."
RELATED: Texans demand Gov. Abbott include energy in upcoming legislation
Rice political analyst Mark Jones says the absence of grid reform poses a political danger.
"Abbott is taking a major risk by not including electric grid reform on this special session agenda," said Jones. "The reality is if we get hit by a major power outage in the summer or especially in the winter, that could cause real trouble for Greg Abbott in the Republican primary in the Spring because you are going to have millions of Texans who are going to be quite upset with him and he's going to have only himself to blame."
And yet, its "Bail Reform" that's likely to draw the lion's share of interest from Texans in Greater Houston - a metropolis currently mired in a violent crime wave.
"Bail reform resonates in Houston because Harris County has a group of very activists judges who have gone out of their way to release people on multiple PR bonds and those people have murdered over a hundred people," said Jones. "So the reality is we see in Houston and Harris County people dying on a weekly basis because of the actions of a liberal group of judges."
With the number of lives lost at the hands of suspects on bond growing, opposition to bail reform is shrinking.
"Democrats are split down the middle. You have people like Kim Ogg, Sylvester Turner, Art Acevedo, and Ed Gonzalez who feel like we should prioritize families and their safety," Jones added. "On the other hand, we have Lina Hidalgo and Rodney Ellis who believe we should prioritize the rights of felons to not stay in jail even if when they get out they commit murders, rapes, and robberies."
Jones believes the Governor included the border in the special session call in order to secure state funds to fund his pledge to continue building "the wall".