Just hours after Senate Democrats were able to use parliamentary procedure and loud advocates to , Texas Gov. Rick Perry has announced he's calling lawmakers back to Austin for a second special session beginning July 1st.
On the agenda so far, abortion legislation that regulates the procedure and clinics, transportation funding and the creation of a life with parole sentence for juveniles convicted of capitol murder.
One big question for Senate Democrats: Will the chamber follow tradition and include the body's two-thirds rule in the extra 30-day session.
Senators traditionally file what's called a blocker bill that stands in the way of any other bills making it to the floor for a vote. It takes a two-thirds vote of the body to then suspend the rules and take up another bill out of order. This allows a minority coalition to stop legislation from coming to the floor.
At the beginning of the just completed special session, Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst said a blocker bill was not traditionally used in session's focused on redistricting. But that the two-thirds rule could still be used in any other special session.
