Court agrees to extend legislative monitoring contract only if governor calls another special session; vote 3-1

Nueces County commissioners on Aug. 6 heard an update about the states special session and voted to keep the countys legislative monitoring contract in place only if the governor calls a subsequent special session. Consultants Patricia Shipton and Joel Romo briefed the court on a stop-start special session in Austin driven by a quorum break in the Texas House. "This special session has broken down into a standstill because of the quorum break," Shipton said, adding that the Houses handling of a redistricting bill created uncertainty and that only 13 days remained in the current 30-day special session. She said some bills, including an influential property-tax measure filed by House Ways and Means Chairman Morgan Meyer, are moving in the Senate but face delay in the House. Romo said county staff were monitoring emergency-response, flood, and communication-system bills and possible grant opportunities. Commissioners discussed potential impacts, especially a measure referred to as SB 9 that county staff estimated could cost Nueces County roughly $4 million if enacted. After discussion, a court member moved to continue the consultants' services at the current rate only if the governor calls another special session. The motion passed 3 ayes, 1 no. The court recorded concerns from members that the special session was unusually contentious and warned of continued legislative uncertainty; a commissioner called for letters to the state delegation if bills harmful to counties advanced. No amendments to the contract terms were made during the court session; the continuation is conditional on a gubernatorial call for a further special session.