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A special session of the State Legislature starts today, and a battle over voting protocols is tops on Governor Abbott’s list. Derek Cohen with the Texas Public Policy Foundation says it’s vital that the state looks to roll back an expansion of mail-in ballots. GOP leaders were given the green light to push for voting changes when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized Arizona’s law, imposing restrictions on how votes may be cast and collected.
Lawmakers will take up a bill that prohibits transgender student-athletes from playing on the sports team they identify. Instead, it would require them to play on the team that corresponds with their gender at birth. Equality CEO Ricardo Martinez claims state lawmakers are picking on transgender students. He calls the bill a fictitious emergency that is being prioritized over critical issues that impact everyday Texans.
Many in the restaurant industry are hoping the Governor won’t forget about them when the special legislative session starts today, as restaurants across the state could not take advantage of a federal program designed to help because it was underfunded. Emily Williams Knight with the Texas Restaurant Association is hoping the legislature will earmark much-needed funds for restaurants. In addition, Knight is hopeful Governor Abbott will add the issue before the session ends.