Although the legislator has already moved on into its special session, Governor Abbott focused last week on signing or vetoing bills passed during the regular session. As of Sunday, Abbott vetoed nearly 30 senate bills unrelated to property tax relief, bringing this session’s total vetoes to 76. He has now vetoed the second most bills in Texas history, only following Governor Rick Perry (who vetoed 83 pieces of legislation) in 2001.
Governor Abbott also signed a few bills, several of which are of significant interest to the Greater Arlington Chamber. Signing HB 1500, Abbott and our state legislators hope to “shore up the Texas electrical grid”, fortifying the grid to be stronger and more profitable. He also signed HB 9, aimed at expanding broadband in the state and giving more Wi-Fi access to rural and underserved populations in Texas. Abbott signed HB 1, the allocation of Texas’s historic budget surplus. This will allocate spending to state parks, property tax relief and mental health resources, among other items. The final bill of interest that Abbott signed was SB 28, expanding Texas’s water infrastructure.
Some of the bills vetoed by Governor Abbott include the accreditation of new police departments, water conservation efforts and human trafficking protections. The majority of the bills he vetoed have been from the Senate in an attempt to incentivize senators to find a compromise on the property tax relief legislation. The House and Senate have been in a negotiation stalemate for most of the session.
For a more comprehensive look at how the Greater Arlington Chamber’s goals fared during the regular session of the 88th legislator, check out our recent blog Texas Legislator Regular 88th Session: A Review of Accomplishments.