Abbott calls lawmakers back for fourth time to try again on school vouchers and border security

The third special legislative session ended with a whimper Tuesday morning without a deal on school vouchers — Gov. Greg Abbott’s top priority — as well as several border security bills he had asked for.“There is more work to be done,” Abbott said in a statement.

The Legislature granted Abbott’s request for a ban on employer COVID-19 vaccination mandates. The bill, shepherded by Sen. Mayes Middleton, R-Galveston and Rep. Jeff Leach, R-Plano, passed through the Republican-dominated chambers with ease. The House inaction further soured the relationship between Patrick and Phelan, who began sparring in the spring over property taxes and later over the House impeachment of Attorney General Ken Paxton. Patrick accused Phelan of caving to the Democrats and anti-voucher Republicans to preserve his speakership.

The chambers passed different versions of a bill that would allow police officers to arrest migrants who cross the border illegally, buton a compromise between them. Phelan called the Senate plan “pro-illegal immigration” while Patrick derided the House plan as a “Texas-sized catch-and-release bill.”

Abbott’s agenda for the third special session, by including border security and Colony Ridge, created an opportunity for the governor to walk away with some victories in case the voucher effort failed again. Rep. James Frank, R-Wichita Falls, predicted that the House and Senate leaders could move past their squabbling to pass vouchers in the coming weeks.

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