Harrison Urges Abbott to Limit Emergency Powers

Texas state Rep. Brian Harrison is urging Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special legislative session before Gina Hinojosa takes office, so lawmakers can consider limits on gubernatorial emergency powers. Abbott has not publicly committed to convening one, and only the governor can call a special session and set its agenda. Harrison, a Republican, made the request in a November 4 social-media post, arguing that lawmakers should act before Hinojosa’s January 19, 2027, inauguration. He said the restrictions should apply to governors of either party and pointed to House Bill 911, a proposal he introduced in 2022. As Harrison describes it, HB 911 would bar a governor from suspending or modifying statutes during an emergency. It would generally cause emergency orders to expire after 30 days unless the Legislature ratified them, bar the reissuance of orders that had expired or been rejected, require orders to be narrowly tailored and provide for expedited judicial review. The bill did not advance after being referred to committee in March 2023, according to its reported legislative history. Harrison’s current push would require Abbott to call lawmakers back and include emergency-powers...