The Resistance must call Texas Governor Abbott and tell him “No Bathroom Bills” in the Special Session

The time has come for โ€œThe Resistanceโ€ to take action in Texas to call and request Governor Abbott to not include any โ€œBathroom Billsโ€ or Anti-LGBTQ bills in his special session, and yes he will call a special session. Gov. Abbottโ€™s office phone number is 512-463-2000.

Abbott already made it clear that he would ask for two things if he calls a special session. 1. A Sunset Bill to keep the Sunset Commission in place Texas Sunset Commission in place for the next two years. This is a group of 5 commissioners that decides what state agencies to keep in place or remove if they feel they are obsolete. One of the most important agencies in this cycle is the Texas Medical Board which is the licensing agency in Texas. Without this board no new licenses for doctors can be issued or renewed. 2. To pass a bill on limiting property tax to 5% and requiring a special election if cities/counties want to raise it higher.

Gov. Abbott said heโ€™ll announce later this week and tell us if heโ€™ll call a โ€œSpecial Session.โ€ Abbott made it clear that if a special session is called he will be the one deciding which bills will be looked at stating, โ€œI can tell you this, and that is when it gets to a special session, the time and the topics are solely up to the governor of the state of Texas, and we will be, if we have a special session, convening only on the topics that I choose at the time of my choosing.โ€

While Lt. Dan Patrick has put pressure on Gov. Abbott at every chance he has had publicly and in interviews to force a special session if no bathroom bill passes Abbott was asked if he felt any pressure to call a special session because of this and his answer was, โ€œnone.โ€ (link)

There are still rumors that Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick will primary Governor Abbott in 2018. If Abbott does not include a โ€œBathroom Billโ€ in his special session I believe chances will increase 100% that Patrick will run against Abbott.

Patrick is like a dog with a bone on the bathroom issue in an attempt to increase the numbers of his โ€œRadical Republican Religious Right Wing Baseโ€. He just canโ€™t let it go unless he wins and Iโ€™m counting on Speaker Joe Straus of the Texas House to take him down if a bathroom bill comes into play.

The Resistance must come together this week and call Governor Abbott every day demanding no bathroom bill be in the special session, it will make a difference. This is truly a time of crisis in Texas. Governor Abbottโ€™s phone number is 512-463-2000.

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