Texas special session agenda includes flood relief, THC regulation
AUSTIN - Texas Gov. Greg Abbott’s office released the agenda for the upcoming special session of the legislature on Wednesday.
Among the 18 items listed in the agenda are flood relief plans and the awaited alternatives to the vetoed THC ban.
Flood relief and THC in Texas special session
The first 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.
In the midst of search and rescue efforts, many critics have questioned the alert systems in place to warn residents before disasters of this nature occur. The special session appears to be weighted towards strengthening those systems and funding areas in need of improvement.
Also getting more than one mention in the list of 18 items is THC regulation. After vetoing the near-total ban on consumable products containing the active compound in marijuana, Abbott is now focused on preventing the sale of such products to children and introducing strict regulation on hemp-derived substances.
Texas THC ban: What's ahead in the special session | Texas: The Issue Is
A last-minute veto by Governor Greg Abbott put a new twist on the fight over THC in Texas. FOX 7's Rudy Koski talked with hemp industry advocate Cynthia Cabrera of Hometown Hero about the battle ahead.
What they're saying:
"We delivered on historic legislation in the 89th Regular Legislative Session that will benefit Texans for generations to come," said Governor Abbott. "There is more work to be done, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country. We must ensure better preparation for such events in the future," Abbott said in a statement accompanying the agenda proclamation.
What's next:
The special session is set to begin at noon on Monday, July 21.
Special session agenda items
The full agenda for the session reads as follows:
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.
The Source: Information in this article came from the office of Gov. Greg Abbott and previous FOX 7 coverage.