Gov. Greg Abbott of Texas on Wednesday laid out a sprawling agenda for the upcoming special session of the Texas Legislature, issuing a proclamation with a broad list of measures addressing culture-war flash points that are set to bring an already ultraconservative legislative session further to the right.
The governor called on the state to try again to pass a bill overhauling its election systems that would be one of the most restrictive voting laws in the country. A previous attempt by Republicans to pass a major voting law was stymied at the last minute in May, when Democratic state lawmakers staged a dramatic late-night walkout that deprived the House of a quorum and temporarily killed the bill.
While the voting measures will be perhaps the most closely watched legislative battle when the session convenes on Thursday, Mr. Abbott also called for the Legislature to take up measures combating perceived “censorship” on social media platforms; banning the teaching of “critical race theory” in public schools; further limiting abortions; putting in place new border security policies; and restricting transgender athletes from competing in school sports.
Mr. Abbott is also seeking more dedicated funding for property tax relief and cybersecurity.
The governor is up for re-election next year, when he will face a challenge from his right. He has also been seen in Texas as laying the groundwork for a potential presidential bid in 2024.
“The 87th Legislative Session was a monumental success for the people of Texas, but we have unfinished business to ensure that Texas remains the most exceptional state in America,” Mr. Abbott said in a statement. “Two of my emergency items, along with other important legislation, did not make it to my desk during the regular session, and we have a responsibility to finish the job on behalf of all Texans.”
The agenda is sure to inflame tensions with Democratic state lawmakers who have already been angered by the Legislature’s rightward turn this session, which has included a near-ban on abortion and a bill allowing the carrying of handguns without permits.
The legislative acrimony came to a head in late May over the Republicans’ omnibus voting bill, which, after months of debate, was finished behind closed doors by G.O.P. legislators and lawyers in a conference committee while Democrats were kept in the dark.
The final bill included a raft of restrictions on voting, including new limits on absentee voting, broad new autonomy and authority for partisan poll watchers, and stricter punishments for election officials who are found to have made mistakes or committed other offenses. The bill also would have banned both drive-through voting and 24-hour voting, which were used for the first time during the 2020 election in Harris County, home to Houston and a growing number of the state’s Democratic voters.
Two late additions to the bill — a shortening of voting hours on Sundays that seemed intended to limit the popular “Souls to the Polls” programs of Black churches, and a provision that would make overturning elections easier — particularly enraged Democrats.
Both Democrats and Republicans expect the initial version of a voting bill in the special session to be similar to the one that failed in May, though they also expect the provision on overturning elections to be removed. (Even some Republican lawmakers had expressed concern that the provision was included in the earlier bill.)
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