What to know about the Texas Legislature’s special session that starts tomorrow

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Legislature’s special session officially begins at noon on Monday, July 21.

It features a sweeping 18-item agenda that includes flood recovery efforts, property tax cuts, the elimination of the STAAR tests, THC and much more. 

“There is more work to be done, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country,” Gov. Greg Abbott said when announcing the special session earlier this month. “We must ensure better preparation for such events in the future.”

KHOU 11 will have complete coverage of the special session. Reporter Victor Jacobo will be in Austin starting Sunday night.

In direct response to the catastrophic Hill Country floods over the Fourth of July weekend, several legislative items focus on helping communities better prepare for and recover from natural disasters:

• Flood warning systems: Improve early alerts and preparedness infrastructure in flood-prone areas.
• Emergency communications: Strengthen communication networks during major storm events.
• Hill Country flood relief funding: Support jurisdictions impacted by the July 2025 floods, including FEMA match funding.
• Natural disaster regulation reform: Streamline policies to accelerate recovery timelines.

Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is also proposing the installation of warning sirens along the Guadalupe River. Patrick, who recently toured the flood zone, says residents need more than phone alerts and should have access to sound-based systems that can save lives in low-lying, high-risk areas. Abbott has included this recommendation in the special session agenda.

One of the most talked-about items on the agenda is Abbott’s proposal to eliminate the STAAR test, Texas’ long-standing standardized assessment. The plan calls for replacing STAAR with more effective tools to evaluate student progress while still ensuring school district accountability.

To address growing concerns about youth access to THC and hemp products, the governor is backing legislation that would:

• Make it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to anyone under 21.
• Regulate hemp-derived products by limiting potency, restricting synthetically modified compounds, and establishing enforcement mechanisms — all without banning hemp as a lawful agricultural commodity.

Abbott is also urging lawmakers to:

• Cut property taxes for Texas residents.
• Impose new spending limits on entities that levy property taxes.

Additional conservative legislative priorities include:

• Protecting women’s privacy in sex-segregated spaces.
• Shielding police officers from public release of unsubstantiated personnel complaints.
• Protecting human trafficking victims from criminal liability tied to their victimization.
• Banning taxpayer-funded lobbying.
• Cracking down on title theft and deed fraud.
• Allowing the Attorney General to prosecute state election crimes.

• Redistricting: A revised congressional map to address DOJ concerns.
• Water conservation incentives: Encourage builders to include efficiency measures.
• Judicial department reforms: Restructure the administration of the state judiciary.

Democratic leaders have raised concerns about what’s missing from the agenda, including:

• Teacher pay raises
• Medicaid expansion

Unless the governor amends the agenda, these items will not be considered during the 30-day special session.

• Special sessions last no more than 30 days
• Lawmakers can only consider items the governor places on the call
• New items must be added by the governor during the session