Tonight Gov. Greg Abbott gave his State of the State and listed five “emergency items.” This designation means lawmakers can take up this issue in the first 60 days of the session. Those items for the 87th Session are:
- Expanding Broadband Access
- Discourage cities from defunding the police: “To keep Texans safe and to discourage cities from going down this dangerous path, we must pass laws that prevent cities from defunding police. This issue is so urgent, I am making it an emergency item this session”
- Bail Reform: “To fix our flawed bail system and keep dangerous criminals off our streets, I am making the Damon Allen Act an emergency item this session.”
- Election Integrity
- COVID-related Civil Liability Protections