Austin American-Statesman: Abbott calls second special session as House Democrats remain in Washington

Fulfilling his vow to keep pressure on Texas House Democrats who left the state, Gov. Greg Abbott directed lawmakers to return to Austin for a second special session to begin Saturday, one day after the current special session will end with nothing accomplished thanks to the Democratic quorum break.

The prime motivation behind the second overtime period remains passage of a GOP overhaul of state voting laws — an effort that has been blocked to date by Democratic walkouts at the end of the regular session in May and at the beginning of the first special session last month.

In addition to the voting legislation, the second session will have the same conservative-pleasing agenda as the first, with Abbott pressing for higher spending on border security, restrictions on drug-induced abortions, limits on transgender student athletes and restrictions on how race can be discussed in the classroom. …

“The decision to call a second special session is nothing more than a partisan power grab to distract us from the real challenges our communities face, like taking action to slow the spread of the delta variant and address our failing energy grid,” said Stephanie Gómez, associate director of Common Cause Texas.