Feuds likely to continue in special session

Gov. Greg Abbott was out in public Wednesday and, unlike when he was out in public last week, he didn’t joke about turning his weapons on anyone. So that’s good.

On the downside, he also didn’t offer any hints about when and if he’ll pull the trigger on a special legislative session that could turn into a circular firing squad for his Republican Party.

“It’s premature to say what, if anything, will be on a special session call. As soon as I make that decision, I will let you know. Thank y’all very much,” the gov said, ending a bill-signing ceremony for laws concerning child protective services.

The 140-day regular legislative session ended Monday amid unfinished business and death threats between lawmakers. More than 4,600 measures got through the House and Senate this year. OK, most of them were congratulatory or memorial or otherwise-important-to-only-some measures.

But more than 1,200 were actual pieces of legislation that will become law when Abbott signs them or lets them become law without his signature. In America, we live under a justice system in which ignorance — though bliss in some circumstances (like that out-of-sight piercing your kid just got) — is not a defense in a court of law. So please take some time to learn and live each and every new law.

I know it sounds like there’s a lot of new laws to learn. But some legislative leaders think the regular session ended a few new laws short of what we need. Included is one about laws of the state and one about laws of nature.

Abbott is being pushed by some to call a special session to deal with property tax reform and transgender folks’ use of bathrooms and locker rooms in government buildings. Some folks see the latter topic as an intrusive waste of time. But everybody seems to agree a special session is needed to pass a bill for the continued operation of a state agency that tells us who’s a doctor and who isn’t. That’s good information to know.

The regular session ended without approval of the bill needed to keep the Texas Medical Board and a few other state agencies in business. There also seems to be agreement that task can be handled in a few days and wouldn’t require the full 30 days for which a session would be called.

In Texas, governors have the sole authority to call special sessions and set the agenda of what topics can be addressed.