Second Texas Special Session Begins Today
August 15, 2025 | Media Inquiries: press@mctxgop.org
The second Special Session of the 89th Texas Legislature began today at noon. The agenda is the same as the first Special Session with the addition of a bill to make Ivermectin over the counter. Democrat House members have promised to return to Texas this weekend and are expected to attend on Monday so that a quorum may be reached. In spite of threats of arrest, Democrats have received zero consequences so far for halting the first Special Session.
AG Paxton Secures Major Victory Stopping Runaway Democrats from Taking “Beto Bribes”
Attorney General Ken Paxton secured a temporary restraining order (TRO) last week, halting Beto O’Rourke’s Powered by People organization and any institution it partners with—including ActBlue—from removing any property or funds out of Texas. AG Paxton is suing O’Rourke and Powered by People for intentionally misleading donors to fund runaway Democrats’ personal expenses, despite advertising it as political fundraising.
By knowingly blurring the distinction, O’Rourke and Powered by People sought to take advantage of uninformed donors by directing them to explicitly political fundraising platforms, all while intending to use the funds for purposes they understood to be constituted as personal expenditures. Texas law prohibits organizations from engaging in false, misleading, and deceptive acts, such as the fundraising scheme operated by O’Rourke and Powered by People.
Further, AG Paxton has opened an investigation into a Soros-funded group for also underwriting the quorum break.
Governor Abbott’s Proclamation
In the meantime, Governor Abbott issued his Special Session #2 proclamation today, identifying 19 agenda items. All of the Special Session #1 items are included, so Democrats have accomplished nothing but a slow-down of flood relief and educating Americans on how Democrats have engaged in gerrymandering for years.
“Delinquent House Democrats ran away from their responsibility to pass crucial legislation to benefit the lives of Texans," said Governor Abbott. "Because of their dereliction of duty, Texas families and communities impacted by the catastrophic Fourth of July flooding have been delayed critical resources for relief and recovery. Numerous other bills to cut property taxes, support human trafficking survivors, eliminate the STAAR test, establish commonsense THC regulations, and many others have all been brought to a halt because because Democrats refuse to show up for work.”
Over-the-Counter Ivermectin Added to Special Session
In addition to the items listed on the Governor’s Special Session proclamation, Speaker Dustin Burrows announced today that House Bill 25 to make Ivermectin over the counter has been added to the Special Session. Rep. Joanne Shofner (R-HD 11) worked tirelessly during the first Special Session to obtain 76 co-authors for the bill. Texans for Vaccine Choice rallied the grassroots to support the addition of this bill and said, “You signed the petition. You sent the emails. You made the calls. Your voices have been heard! Enjoy the victory!”
The Governor’s Special Session agenda items include:
CAMP SAFETY: Legislation to ensure and enhance youth camp safety.
FLOOD WARNING SYSTEMS: Legislation to improve early warning systems and other preparedness infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas.
FLOOD EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS: Legislation to strengthen emergency communications and other response infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas.
RELIEF FUNDING FOR HILL COUNTRY FLOODS: Legislation to provide relief funding for response to and recovery from the storms which began in early July 2025, including local match funding for jurisdictions eligible for FEMA public assistance.
NATURAL DISASTER PREPARATION & RECOVERY: Legislation to evaluate and streamline rules and regulations to speed preparedness for and recovery from natural disasters.
ELIMINATE STAAR TEST: Legislation to eliminate the STAAR test and replace it with effective tools to assess student progress and ensure school district accountability.
CUT PROPERTY TAXES: Legislation reducing the property tax burden on Texans and legislation imposing spending limits on entities authorized to impose property taxes.
PROTECT CHILDREN FROM THC: Legislation making it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21 years of age.
REGULATE HEMP-DERIVED PRODUCTS: Legislation to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products, including limiting potency, restricting synthetically modified compounds, and establishing enforcement mechanisms, all without banning lawful hemp-derived products.
PROTECT UNBORN CHILDREN: Legislation further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion.
BAN TAXPAYER-FUNDED LOBBYING: Legislation prohibiting taxpayer-funded lobbying, including the use of tax dollars to hire lobbyists and payment of tax dollars to associations that lobby the Legislature.
PROTECT HUMAN TRAFFICKING VICTIMS: Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1278 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that protects victims of human trafficking from criminal liability for non-violent acts closely tied to their own victimization.
POLICE PERSONNEL RECORDS: Legislation that protects law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unsubstantiated complaints in personnel files.
PROTECT WOMEN’S SPACES: Legislation protecting women’s privacy in sex-segregated spaces.
ATTORNEY GENERAL ELECTION POWERS: Legislation that strengthens the Attorney General’s authority to investigate and prosecute state election crimes.
REDISTRICTING: Legislation that provides a congressional redistricting plan.
TITLE THEFT & DEED FRAUD: Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 648 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that provides strengthened protections against title theft and deed fraud.
WATER PROJECT INCENTIVES: Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1253 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that authorizes political subdivisions to reduce impact fees for builders who include water conservation and efficiency measures.
STATE JUDICIAL DEPARTMENT: Legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 2878 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, relating to the operation and administration of the Judicial Department of state government.
The Gaslighting Continues
The theme of this legislative session was “Gaslighting” and it appears that this will continue. While Texas House leadership continues their messaging against the Democrats, it’s important to remember that all legislation being addressed in the Special Session (except for flood relief) could have been passed during the Regular Session if House leadership had been doing the work of the people they represent.
Make no mistake - on December 7th, when Speaker Burrows and his 26 supporters walked out of the Republican Caucus and joined the Democrats, the Republican majority in the Texas House was squandered and Texas House leadership became beholden to the Democrats.
Read more on the betrayal in the Texas House.