![]() ![]() Each state is tackling a different agenda, but we’re keeping our eyes on Texas. “The only thing I will put on there are things that I want passed.” What do this year’s special sessions mean for voting rights?Ĭurrently, there are five states in special sessions right now, and many are still wrapping up their regular sessions. And here’s what I would do if anybody tries to force this,” Abbott said. In response to Patrick’s efforts, Abbott made clear the power that governors in these 14 states have over the special session process: “Not only am I the only one with the authority to call a special session, I get to decide when, and I get to decide what will be on that special session. Greg Abbott (R), however, was not similarly motivated to see these bills advance at the time. Dan Patrick (R) tried to push for a special session after legislation he had championed failed in the state House. While this has obvious disadvantages for the party that doesn’t hold the governorship, it can also lead to intra-party disagreements. Governors can use this to their advantage, holding legislatures hostage to their own agenda and forcing them to return to work if the governor’s preferred bills are not passed during the regular session. In the other 14 states, only the governor can call special sessions, giving the executive and the party that they represent an outsized influence on the legislative calendar. When either arm of government can call a special session, they both have a chance to pass priorities that were left off the table during the regular session - but in many states in the United States, this balance of power doesn’t exist. In Hawaii right now, for example, the Hawaii Legislature has reconvened for a special session to override some of the governor’s vetoes. For these 36 states, this agenda can be set by either the governor or the legislature - meaning that if there is a divided government, branches controlled by either party can call their colleagues back to work in order to tackle pending legislation. ![]() These sessions can take place whenever, but for the most part they are limited in their scope - the legislature may only debate the specific legislative priorities outlined when the special session was called. In 36 states, either the legislature or governor can call a special session. As you might imagine, however, there can be a fair number of government priorities that legislatures don’t get around to tackling in just a few months of work - and if specific additional legislation still needs to be considered, the state government can convene for a special session. Most regular legislative sessions end before the summer, meaning that legislators stop work for the year around the same time that schools let out. If a bill does not pass before the end of the session, it will have to wait until the following year to be reintroduced. A legislature has a set number of days in a “session,” during which they can propose, debate and pass bills to send to the governor. The legislative calendar differs significantly from state to state, but most share a common structure. Today, we’ll explain what exactly a special session is and why they matter in the legislative process. Special sessions can mean the difference between bills passing or dying - and the circumstances under which they are called can spell the difference between protecting or restricting voting rights. Even though the state’s legislative year has ended, representatives in the state House are now going back to work for previously unscheduled days in order to pass legislation deemed high priority by the governor. If you’re following the voting rights news of the week, you’ve probably seen that the Texas Legislature convened for a special session on Thursday. ![]()
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