Protest over Texas redistricting effort planned at Governor’s Mansion Sunday

AUSTIN, Texas – Groups are expected to protest outside the governor’s mansion in Austin ahead of the beginning of the special session of the Texas Legislature on Monday.

Sunday’s protest, titled “Focus on Flooding, Not Redistricting”, will take aim at the efforts by Texas to add Republican seats to Congress.

Governor’s Mansion Protest

The protest is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. on Sunday.

“Texans are still reeling from the damage caused by severe flooding. Instead of addressing these urgent needs, Governor Abbott is using the special session to push political redistricting maps. This event calls on state leadership to focus on what truly matters to Texans, not political power plays,” reads a release from organizers.

Special Session

Lawmakers to consider redistricting in special session

Texas lawmakers will hold their first joint committee meeting next Wednesday to start to discuss ways to prevent another deadly flood disaster. Governor Abbott has also added redistricting to the special session agenda. FOX’s Steven Dial has more on the governor’s priorities, and what to expect.

Texas lawmakers will return to the Capitol on Monday for a special session called to work on 18 items from Gov. Greg Abbott.

Four items relate to flood response and natural disaster preparedness, marking the severity of the recent flash flooding that claimed over 100 lives in the Texas Hill Country on the Fourth of July holiday weekend.

Abbott has also called for lawmakers to take up redistricting as part of the legislative session.

The U.S. Department of Justice sent a letter to Abbott saying four congressional districts in Texas show signs of racial gerrymandering that is unconstitutional.

On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said he wanted to gain five Republican seats in the U.S. House through the state’s redistricting efforts.

The move sparked anger from Democrats, who could consider filibusters and possibly breaking quorum to prevent it from happening.

Here is the full agenda for the special session, as listed by a release from Gov. Abbott’s Office:

• 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 a lawful agricultural commodity.
• 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 proposing a constitutional amendment allowing the Attorney General to prosecute state election crimes.
• REDISTRICTING: Legislation that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.
• 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.