AUSTIN, Texas — A third special session for the Texas Legislature was confirmed Thursday after Gov. Greg Abbott released his agenda for lawmakers.
Abbott repeatedly mentioned the special session would focus on public education, including school vouchers and public school funding, but the agenda also noted several new key items like border security and the Colony Ridge development north of Houston.
"I am bringing the Texas Legislature back for Special Session #3 to continue building on the achievements we accomplished during the 88th Regular Legislative Session and two special sessions this summer," Abbott said in his announcement.
Lawmakers will return to Austin on Monday, Oct. 9 at 1 p.m., nearly four months after lawmakers failed earlier this year to either allocate new money to help school districts make ends meet amid rampant inflation and the volatile economy, or reach an agreement on "school choice," which would allow parents to use taxpayer money to pay for their children's private schooling. School choice has been one of Abbott’s top legislative priorities.
Abbott has repeatedly said if lawmakers fail to pass a school choice proposal, that he wouldn't hesitate to bring them back. He also promised political consequences for those who get in the way.
Meanwhile, as Abbott says the session will also focus on doing more to reduce illegal immigration, President Joe Biden on Thursday defended his administration’s decision to waive 26 federal laws in South Texas to allow for the construction of roughly 20 miles of additional border wall.
Biden said he had no choice but to use the Trump-era funding for the barrier to stop illegal migration from Mexico. Asked if he thought such walls work, he said flatly, “No.”
The new construction was announced in June, but the funds were appropriated in 2019 before the Democratic president took office. Biden said he tried to get lawmakers to redirect the money but Congress refused, and the law requires the funding to be used as approved and the construction to be completed in 2023.
“The money was appropriated for the border wall,” Biden said. “I can’t stop that.”