The Texas Legislature’s special session grinds to a halt

THE Texas House of Representatives adjourned on August 15th, after a special legislative session that left many legislators, on both sides of the aisle, a bit dyspeptic. “The problem continues to be that politics rather than policy is driving the bus,” said Chris Paddie, a Republican representative from east Texas, that evening. The Texan constitution gives the governor the option of calling special legislative sessions to address issues left lingering after the Legislature’s brief, biennial regular meetings. And this year the governor, Greg Abbott, had little choice but to do so. The 85th Legislature adjourned, in May, without having passed legislation required to reauthorise several state agencies, including the Texas Medical Board, which licenses doctors.