Gregory Wayne Abbott (born November 13, 1957) is an American attorney who has served as the 48th governor of Texas since January 20, 2015. A member of the Republican Party, Abbott previously served as the 50th attorney general of Texas from 2002 to 2015. He is the third governor of any U.S. state to permanently use a wheelchair. He is also the first disabled governor in Texas history.
Drag not on Abbott’s special session agenda — yet
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott arrives for a Memorial Day Ceremony in the House Chamber on Saturday, May. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) The 88th Texas Legislature adjourned earlier today (Monday, May 29), but — just as Speaker of the House Dade Phelan warned, telling lawmakers not to pack their bags just yet — Texas Gov.
Greg Abbott has already called the first of what he says will be multiple special sessions to address issues that went unsettled during regular session.
In a statement announcing this first special session, Abbott said it would focus first and foremost on cutting property taxes “solely by reducing the school district maximum compressed tax rate in order to provide lasting property-tax relief.” The agenda will also focus on “increasing or enhancing” penalties for “smuggling people or operating a stash house,” The Texas Tribune reports.
While the agenda for the first special session includes only those two items, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick had earlier sent Abbott a letter today in which he urged the governor to include a number of “conservative bills” in the special session call.
