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“Governor Greg Abbott Vetoed Funding the Texas Legislature and its Staff as Punishment for Democrats Failing to Break the Electoral Law” was first published by The Texas Tribune, a non-profit, bipartisan media organization that educates Texans about public order – and interacts with them. Politics, Government and Nationwide Issues.
Governor Greg Abbott followed through Friday with a threat to veto part of the state budget that funds the Texas legislature, its staff and legislative agencies.
The governor’s move toward paying the legislature comes after House Democrats broke the quorum in the final days of the regular legislature to block the passage of Senate Law 7, Abbott’s priority electoral bill that gives the right to vote Revised in the state. The move also killed bail laws, which Abbott had made a priority.
In a statement, Abbott said that “funding should not be allocated to those who quit their jobs early, leave their state with unfinished business and expose taxpayers to higher costs for an additional legislature.”
“That’s why I decline and decline these funds,” he said.
House Democratic leader Chris Turner of Grand Prairie called Abbott’s move an “abuse of power” and said the group was “considering every option, including immediate legal options, to fight back.”
“Texas has a governor, not a dictator,” Turner said in a statement. “The tyrannical veto of the legislature is the latest evidence that [Abbott] is just out of control. “
Since Abbott made his threat earlier this month, other lawmakers and political leaders have raised concerns about how the move might affect staff and lawmakers funded by Article X, the section of the budget he vetoed, like z and the legislative budget committee.
“I’m just worried how it affects them because they weren’t the ones who decided we would break the quorum, it wasn’t their decision, was it?” Said House Speaker Dade Phelan, R -Beaumont, in an interview earlier this month.
Questions have also been raised about the constitutionality of the move, which the Legislative Reference Library says is unprecedented.
Meanwhile, the chairman of the Senate, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick expressed support for Abbott’s proposed veto, saying the move could force Democrats to return to a special session.
The present two-year budget covers the financial year beginning on September 1st. If the legislature is in Austin for a special session by then, they could pass a supplementary budget to restore that funding.
Legislators receive $ 600 per month in addition to a daily allowance of $ 221 every day the legislature meets, during both regular and special sessions.
Legislators are expected to hold at least two special sessions, Abbott said in interviews. One, slated for September or October, will focus on redrawing the state’s political maps and distributing $ 16 billion in federal coronavirus aid. Earlier, the governor said he will call lawmakers back to work on the election and bail laws, as well as other issues that he has not yet announced.
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