The 89th Texas Legislature convenes today for its first special session of 2025, amid a tumultuous backdrop of natural disaster, ongoing policy fights, and political realignment. Governor Greg Abbott has put 18 major issues on the call — ranging from critical flood disaster response to highly divisive cultural and election-related legislation.
Here is a breakdown of the session’s agenda and why each issue matters for everyday Texans.
Flood Disaster Response: A State’s Reckoning With Tragedy
The Independence Day floods that devastated parts of Texas were not only the deadliest in recent memory — killing 135 people, including 116 in Kerr County — but a stark warning that Texas’ preparedness for extreme weather is far from sufficient.
Why it matters: Texans in affected regions are demanding answers and reforms. In response, lawmakers are proposing:
Weather warning sirens for riverbank communities.
Real-time water gauges along flood-prone rivers like the Guadalupe.
Better coordination between state and local emergency response agencies.
What’s ahead: Two legislative hearings are scheduled — one in Austin (July 24) and another in Kerrville (July 31) — to gather firsthand accounts and shape policy accordingly. There is broad bipartisan agreement that passing comprehensive flood and disaster legislation is non-negotiable this session.
Congressional Redistricting: A Mid-Decade Power Grab?
Redistricting typically follows the federal census every 10 years. However, recent court rulings — and shifting demographics — have opened the door for Texas Republicans to redraw congressional lines early in a bid to shore up power ahead of 2026’s midterms.
What’s in play:
GOP leaders are targeting South Texas seats (CD-28 and CD-34), where Democrats have seen waning support.
New opportunities have opened in Dallas and Houston, thanks to a 2024 federal ruling redefining how minority-majority districts can be drawn.
Why it matters: Redistricting now could tip the balance in Washington. Democrats are considering a quorum break — similar to what happened in 2021 — to delay or block the effort. There’s no current Senate redistricting committee, but a House select committee is expected soon. The process will likely be fast, fierce, and heavily litigated.
Hemp and THC Products: Regulate or Ban?
Texas currently allows the sale of hemp-derived THC products — often indistinguishable from illegal marijuana in potency. But there are no age limits, no potency caps, and little regulation. This vacuum has left the door open for underage consumption and an unregulated gray market.
Governor Abbott’s focus:
Ban sales of hemp-derived THC to anyone under 21.
Cap THC potency to avoid “marijuana mimicry.”
Regulate synthetic compounds like Delta-8 and Delta-10.
Establish a clear enforcement framework for retailers and manufacturers.
Context: Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick calls this a “life or death” matter. Despite bipartisan support during the regular session, Abbott vetoed SB 3 in June over legal flaws, giving lawmakers another shot at getting the policy right.
Property Tax Reform: A Local vs. State Showdown
Few issues stir up Texas homeowners more than property taxes. Governor Abbott is pushing for stronger state-level control over how and when cities and counties can raise taxes.
Proposals on the table:
Require a two-thirds majority vote by local voters to approve property tax increases.
Impose state spending caps on local governments.
Consider redirecting or leveraging $11 billion in federal funding, including money from the border security reimbursement fund, to offset potential local revenue losses.
Why it’s controversial: Many local officials argue this will undermine local control and hurt essential services like fire departments and schools. But Abbott and conservative lawmakers see it as a needed restraint on “runaway” local spending.
STAAR Test Elimination: Time to Move On?
The STAAR test has long been a thorn in the side of Texas parents, students, and educators. Critics say it overemphasizes standardized testing and ignores real learning.
What’s being debated:
Replace STAAR with a new model — either criterion-referenced (measuring against a fixed standard) or norm-referenced (ranking students relative to each other).
Develop a new framework for evaluating schools and educators without high-stakes testing.
Political climate: There is rare bipartisan support for reform, but sharp disagreement over what should replace STAAR. A compromise collapsed during the regular session. Now, the pressure is on to deliver a smarter, fairer testing alternative.
Two Hot-Button Social Issues Return
1. The Texas Women’s Privacy Act (HB 32)
This bill would require that bathrooms, locker rooms, and shelters in publicly funded facilities be used only by biological sex, as defined by a person’s birth certificate.
Why it matters: Supporters argue it protects women’s privacy and safety. Critics view it as anti-transgender legislation that will disproportionately impact vulnerable populations.
The Senate passed a similar bill in 2017. It failed in the House then, and again this past session. Now, it’s back — and so is the fight.
2. Chemical Abortion Pill Restrictions
This bill would increase civil penalties on anyone who produces or distributes abortion-inducing drugs in Texas. It did not make the House calendar last session but gained momentum after pro-life groups petitioned the governor directly.
Why it matters: Though Texas already has some of the strictest abortion laws in the country, this law would further criminalize the distribution of abortion pills, even via mail or across state lines.
Banning Taxpayer-Funded Lobbying: Will It Stick This Time?
Conservatives have long pushed to ban cities and counties from using public funds to lobby the Legislature, arguing it’s an abuse of taxpayer dollars.
Status: The Senate passed the ban with exceptions for certain nonprofit groups, but the House did not act on it. This is Abbott’s third attempt to push the measure across the finish line.
Why it’s divisive: Cities argue that they need a voice in Austin — especially small towns that can't afford in-house staff. But for anti-tax activists, this is about principle: public money should not fund lobbying, period.
Other Key Items to Watch
Election Fraud Prosecution Power
Governor Abbott wants to amend the Texas Constitution to restore the Attorney General’s authority to prosecute election crimes — a power struck down by the state’s Court of Criminal Appeals in 2021.
Challenge: The bill needs a two-thirds majority in the House, which Republicans have yet to secure.
Deed and Title Theft Reform
A previous bill (SB 648) aimed at stopping title fraud was vetoed for placing too many burdens on low-income and rural Texans. Abbott is now asking for a more balanced version that addresses fraud without creating access issues for family landowners.
Judicial System Overhaul
A massive judicial reform bill (SB 2878) failed during the regular session, partly due to internal disagreements and so-called “Trojan horse” provisions related to automatic expunctions. With growing counties stretched thin, there’s broad agreement that new courts and better systems are needed — but not at the cost of transparency or due process.
Human Trafficking Victim Protections
A bill giving trafficking victims an affirmative defense for crimes committed under coercion was unanimously passed, but later vetoed by Abbott over concerns it was too broad. Lawmakers will now attempt a more narrowly tailored version.
Law Enforcement Complaint Protections
A revived proposal would shield officers from having unverified complaints made public, a move championed by police unions but criticized by transparency advocates. It aims to protect officers' reputations, but opponents argue it could hide patterns of misconduct.
Water Project Incentives
Water infrastructure remains a sleeper issue — but one that matters for a state grappling with chronic drought, population growth, and resource strain. Lawmakers are expected to revisit water incentive legislation with a tighter focus after the governor vetoed a previous version.
Final Thoughts: What This Session Really Means
This special session is a test — of leadership, of priorities, and of political will. While disaster relief is the immediate and unifying concern, much of the agenda is shaped by deep ideological divides, electoral consequences, and long-simmering policy battles.
Governor Abbott appears determined to score big wins on issues he couldn't finish during the regular session. That means fewer distractions, fewer procedural delays, and more direct confrontations — both between chambers and within parties.
