Because of constitutional provisions, the governor has two weeks after the legislative session ends to sign or veto bills. Many of the bills he vetoed passed with overwhelming bipartisan support, some nearly unanimously, and would have gone into effect without his signature. Instead, he vetoed them.

The state legislature can only override bills that are vetoed when the legislature is in session. Meaning, if a special session isn’t called, the legislature has no means to override a veto. A veto override could potentially happen during the special legislative session next month. However, this is unlikely. The last time a legislature overrode a vetoed bill was in 1979, according to state records. The last one before that was in 1941.

Only the governor can call a special legislative session and direct the legislative agenda for the legislature to follow. Special sessions last for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days.

Abbott directed the special session to begin July 21, which will last for 30 days unless otherwise extended. He also listed six bills for the legislature to address that he either vetoed or were filed without signature. His agenda items for the special session can be amended or added to at any time.

Abbott wants changes made to the bills identified on the list in order to sign them into law.

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They include SB 3, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick’s priority bill to ban THC in Texas. The bill was expected to be vetoed after hundreds of thousands of Texans, including seniors, cancer survivors, veterans and small business owners, called on the governor to veto it, which he did late Sunday night.

SB 3 is at the top of the list for the special session.

Next on the list is SB 648, which amends state law to include protections for title theft as identity thieves are forging and stealing property deeds and transferring the ownership of someone’s property without their knowledge or consent.

Also on the list is SB 1253, which relates to political subdivisions charging developers impact fees for new developments to cover costs associated with wastewater development. The bill that passed allowed for developers to receive credits for creating certain water conservation and reuse projects.

Also on the list is SB 1278, which amends state law to provide protections for victims of human trafficking so they are not convicted of crimes their traffickers force them to commit. The bill that passed amended state law to establish an affirmative defense to prosecution for criminal offenses if trafficked victims can demonstrate their conduct was coerced, committed under duress, or motivated by a reasonable fear of harm as a victim of trafficking, forced prostitution or domestic violence.

Also on the list is SB 1758, which created a pilot program in Grayson County to consider creating a scientifically based zone where semiconductor wafer manufacturers can operate alongside cement kilns and aggregate production operations.

Abbott also vetoed SB 2878, the Judicial Court Omnibus Bill, a non-partisan compilation of bills that either created new courts, updated aspects of judicial administration, or fulfilled a local request. The bill that passed amended current law relating to the operation and administration of and practices and procedures of Texas courts, including court security, court documents and arrest warrants, document delivery, juvenile boards, and youth diversion; it also increased criminal penalties and authorized fees.

The legislature passed all seven of Abbott’s legislative emergency items he identified in February at the beginning of the regular session: property tax relief, water infrastructure investment, teacher pay raises, expanding career training, creating the state’s first Education Savings Account program, bail reform and creating a Texas Cyber Command.

Overall, Abbott signed 1,155 bills into law. The bills become effective Sept. 1 and can be found here.