Special Session Proclamation For Sunset Legislation
TO ALL TO WHOM THESE PRESENTS SHALL COME:
WHEREAS, the legislature adjourned its 85th regular session without extending the existence of the Texas Medical Board, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners; and
WHEREAS, without legislative action, these five agencies will be abolished on September 1, 2017, pursuant to the Texas Sunset Act, Chapter 325, Government Code, and statutory law applicable to these agencies; and
WHEREAS, the continuation of these agencies is important to the operation of the professions subject to oversight by these agencies; and
WHEREAS, the people of Texas have placed the constitutional power to call the legislature into special sessions in the hands of the governor; and
WHEREAS, as soon as the Senate passes all bills necessary to extend the existence of the five state agencies referenced above, I intend to add to this first called session of the 85th Legislature the items I announced on June 6, 2017, including matters such as teacher compensation and retention practices, school finance reform, education options for students with special needs, property tax reform, constraining the growth of state and local government, municipal regulatory and annexation reforms, protection of property rights, privacy, the governmental collection of union dues, pro-life legislation, and mail-in ballot reforms; and
WHEREAS, bills related to the matters that I intend to add to this first called session of the 85th Legislature may be filed and may begin to be considered by the legislature before those matters are added to the call;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GREG ABBOTT, GOVERNOR OF THE STATE OF TEXAS, by the authority vested in me by Article III, Section 5 and Article IV, Section 8 of the Texas Constitution, do hereby call an extraordinary session of the 85th Legislature, to convene in the City of Austin, commencing at 10 a.m. on July 18, 2017, for the purpose of considering the following:
Legislation amending sections 151.004, 501.005, 502.003, 503.005, and 505.005 of the Texas Occupations Code to extend the expiration dates applicable to the Texas Medical Board, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Psychologists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Marriage and Family Therapists, the Texas State Board of Examiners of Professional Counselors, and the Texas State Board of Social Worker Examiners.
The Secretary of State will take notice of this action and will notify the members of the legislature of my action.
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereto signed my name and have officially caused the Seal of the State to be affixed at my Office in the City of Austin, Texas, this the 10th day of July 2017.
GREG ABBOTT
Governor