(The Center Square) – Gov. Greg Abbott late Sunday night announced he vetoed 26 bills passed by the state legislature during the regular legislative session. He also published statements justifying each veto.
After announcing the vetoes, he called a special legislative session to begin July 21. He also identified six bills, five of which he vetoed, for the special session agenda, The Center Square reported.
Abbott vetoed key bills including SB 3, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority bill to ban TCH in Texas. Abbott vetoed it after hundreds of thousands of Texans, including cancer survivors, veterans, seniors and small business owners called on him to do so, The Center Square reported. It is top of the list for the special session.
He also vetoed SB 648, which would have amended state law to increase protections for homeowners whose titles are stolen and transferred without their knowledge in identity theft schemes. It was also added to the special session.
He also vetoed SB 2878, the Judicial Court Omnibus Bill, a non-partisan compilation of bills that would have either created new courts, updated aspects of judicial administration, or fulfilled a local request, which was added to the special session.
Many vetoed bills relate to the criminal justice system, including enhanced protections for children and victims of trafficking.
Abbott vetoed HB 305, relating to the time-period for conducting pretrial hearings after a criminal defendant has been restored to competency; HB 353, which would have created a criminal trespass offense on or near school or day-care center property; and HB 413, relating to releasing certain defendants detained in jail pending trial.
He also vetoed SB 614, relating to the authority of the Texas Forensic Science Commission to review and refer certain cases to the office of capital and forensic writs, and SB 1937, relating to testing evidence containing biological materials in capital cases.
He also vetoed HB 449, which would have created penalties for unlawfully producing or distributing sexually explicit media using deep fake technology, and HB 3120, which created protections for unaccompanied minors and American children being housed in facilities run by nongovernmental organizations in Texas, including requiring background checks for those interacting with children and reporting and transparency requirements.
He also vetoed SB 1838, relating to the appointment of attorneys ad litem in lawsuit affecting parent-child relationships filed by government entities; SB 2111 and SB 2501, relating to attorney representation in court for indigent individuals and parents, respectively, in lawsuits impacting parent-child relationships; and HB 4885, relating to disclosure of confidential juvenile records to a managed assigned counsel program.
Only one vetoed bill in this category is on the special session agenda: SB 1278, which would amend state law to provide protections for victims of human trafficking so they are not convicted of crimes their traffickers force them to commit.
Abbott also vetoed several bills related to licensing and the healthcare industry, including HB 705, relating to the Cosmetology Licensure Compact and which authorizes fees; SB 268, which would have amended the procedure to file complaints against healthcare practitioners; and SB 378, relating to prohibited practices by a barber or cosmetologist.
He also vetoed several bills related to water permits and utilities. They include HB 1690, relating to permit applications to transfer groundwater out of a groundwater conservation district; HB 4530, relating to water rights placed in the Texas Water Trust and the Texas Water Bank; and HB 5671, relating to the election of directors for and the authority to issue bonds of the Johnson County Special Utility District.
Only one vetoed bill in this category is on the special session agenda: SB 1253, which relates to political subdivisions charging developers impact fees for new developments to cover costs associated with waste-water development.
Abbott also vetoed several bills related to education. They include HB 2243, which created the Texas Commission on Teacher Job Satisfaction and Retention. and SB 1032, relating to eligibility requirements for postsecondary educational institutions to participate in the governor’s university research initiative.
He vetoed SB 974, which would have allowed for a school district employee to serve on an appraisal review board. Dozens of House Republicans called on Abbott to veto it, arguing it created a conflict of interest, The Center Square reported.
Some of the same House Republicans who called on him to veto SB 974 also called on him to veto another bill that expands the state-funded education loan repayment program for a range of mental health professionals, The Center Square reported. He signed the bill into law on Sunday. It becomes effective Sept. 1.
Another vetoed bill, HB 2520, relates to the Texas open meetings law.
