Texas special session begins with 2nd attempt by Republicans to revise state's election laws

Democrats said "every option is on the table" in opposing the GOP's agenda.

The Texas legislature began an overtime special session this week to address a slate of priority issues outlined by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, including a renewed effort to address "election integrity." On Saturday, both chambers will hold overlapping hearings with testimony regarding new bills from the House and Senate that seek to overhaul the state's voting and election practices. Previously, legislation addressing the Republican-backed issue failed to meet a critical deadline in May when House Democrats staged a walkout to break quorum and prevented a final vote on the sweeping election bill, Senate Bill 7. Going into the 30-day special session, Democrats did not rule out the possibility of another walkout to block new restrictions on voting. During a press conference Thursday, Texas state Rep. Armando Walle said "every option is on the table" for Democrats to mobilize against the GOP-backed special session agenda, which includes a host of items that echo emerging national culture wars. Walle added that his fellow party members are "going to use every parliamentary means to stop these bills," but did not follow up with examples of any potential actions. Democrats are also decrying the Republican policy push of "election integrity" as a political maneuver that creates a solution when they say there is no existing problem.