Texas Gov. Perry Opens Special Session
Gov. Rick Perry announced the addition of 28 issues to the call of the current legislative session. The governor’s action allows the Texas House and Senate to consider legislation relating to these issues during the special session.
“By opening the call to these specific issues, I am confident representatives and senators will make efficient use of this time in Austin to make state government more efficient for the people of Texas,” Perry said. “Of the 28 issues added today, 21 are topics that were discussed and debated in a government reorganization bill last session.”
Issues added to the special session agenda include:
• Legislation relating to corrections to HB 3588 from the just completed regular session concerning transportation and trauma issues.
• Legislation permitting the reorganization of legislative support agencies and offices.
• Legislation relating to a transfer in the oversight of Regional Planning Commissions to the State Auditor’s Office.
• Legislation relating to the abolition of the Texas Commission on Private Security.
• Legislation relating to the abolition of the Office of State-Federal Relations and transferring its functions to the Governor’s Office.
• Legislation relating to the abolition of the State Aircraft Pooling Board.
• Legislation permitting the Legislative Budget Board to meet by teleconference.
• Legislation permitting the Governor to designate the presiding officers for executive branch agencies.
• Legislation modifying the Governor’s budget authority.
• Legislation relating to legislative and executive branch working papers on the budget.
• Legislation creating a study on private prisons.
• Legislation modifying the organizational pattern of the Texas Board of Pardons and Paroles.
• Legislation designating the Texas Department of Public Safety as the agency to establish school bus safety standards.
• Legislation modifying the scope and function of the State Office of Risk Management.
• Legislation relating to a modification in the qualifications for the Commissioner of Insurance.
• Legislation appropriating fees established by legislation during the regular session that remain unappropriated.
• Legislation relating to the abandonment of proceeds on demutualization.
• Legislation to re-establish the runoff primary election date to the second Tuesday in April.
• Legislation to provide one uniform deadline for receiving late ballots for all elections and one uniform time period for the ballot board to convene to count late mail ballots.
• Legislation to provide for one uniform day for canvassing elections for the general election for state and county officers and for all other local elections.
• Legislation to re-establish the first Saturday in May as the May uniform election date.
• Legislation relating to civil claims
involving exposure to asbestos.
• Legislation directing the Texas
Coordinating Board for Higher Education to review the organization and operation of each university system office.
• Legislation streamlining the environmental permitting and regulation process in Texas for competitiveness with other states.
• Legislation relating to the procedures followed in condemnation proceeding in a county civil court at law in Harris County.
• Legislation relating to a reconstitution of the membership of the Texas Building and Procurement Commission.
• Legislation relating to a modification in the qualifications for membership on the Texas Veterans Commission.
• Legislation relating to a modification in the qualifications for membership on the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.
The Texas Constitution authorizes the governor to set the agenda during a special session of the legislature. This called special session began June 30 with congressional redistricting as the only issue on the agenda.
