The clock is ticking down on the Texas special legislative session with one week down and about three to go.
Lawmakers are holding hearings on their redistricting plans as well as on flood relief measures to help Hill Country communities devastated by the July 4 weekend storms.
Blaise Gainey, who covers the statehouse for The Texas Newsroom, said Democratic lawmakers are considering taking steps to prevent the controversial redistricting plan from getting through the Legislature.
"Democrats last week held a press conference," he said. "Austin Representative Gina Hinojosa said that she's ready to walk out and leave and go wherever she needs to go in order to stop Republicans from voting on a redistricting plan that would essentially change the maps and could give Republicans an advantage this next election."
However, there are some concerns that the pending redistricting fight might get in the way of flood relief, Gainey said.
"Nothing can pass if (enough Democrats) are not there," Gainey said. "If they do leave, then it'll sort of look bad on them because they'll leave before passing any flood-related bills. What Democrats have said is if Republicans are serious about flood-related issues being on the top of the agenda, then they'll pass it first and foremost and leave the redistricting stuff to handle later on.
For Republicans, the game plan is probably the opposite. Hold the flooding until later and do the redistricting first to make sure that Democrats don't leave before they're able to redistrict the state."
There is also the question of THC regulation, which was originally the focus of this special session before the Hill Country flooding occurred and redistricting was added to the agenda.
During the regular session, lawmakers passed a THC ban that Gov. Abbott decided to veto in favor of a regulation plan.
"However, Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick is still steady on banning THC. In fact, the Senate has moved a bill to the Senate floor that would do the same thing they just tried to do during the regular session. It is a little different. It allows CBD and CBG to still be sold," Gainey said. "I think it's trying to help out those industries that the governor was trying to save by vetoing (the original bill)."
The governor's wish list for this session also includes elimination of the STAAR, regulation around abortion and abortion pills, and legislation to protect law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unsubstantiated complaints in personnel files.
Gainey said this is a lot to get done in just one month.
"I think a lot of people are thinking, or at least I am for sure, that there may be a second special session if lawmakers aren't able to get it all done," he said. "'If the Senate is still trying to pass a ban on THC, it seems like we're maybe a far ways apart on getting to an end of what happens with THC this year."