Floods, Maps, and THC: Texas Lawmakers Face High-Stakes Issues in Special Session

As the Texas Legislature enters the second week of its special session, lawmakers are tackling a trifecta of contentious issues: the state’s response to catastrophic July 4th floods, an abrupt redistricting effort, and a revived push to ban THC products. The session, which began last Monday and runs through August 19th, has already featured tense committee hearings and sharp political divisions.

The floods, which devastated the Hill Country and left at least 136 people dead statewide, including 108 in Kerr County, have prompted scrutiny over state and local preparedness. This Thursday, lawmakers will leave the Capitol and travel to Kerrville to hear directly from residents of the hardest-hit region, as reported by the Houston Chronicle. At a joint House and Senate committee hearing last week, according to CBS News, the emergency management chief, Nim Kidd, told legislators that the disaster underscored the urgent need for stronger coordination and communication systems. Some Democrats pushed for accountability, while GOP leaders emphasized fact-finding, not finger-pointing.

Gov. Greg Abbott has directed lawmakers to focus on four key areas: improving flood warning systems, strengthening emergency communications, expanding relief funding, and enhancing disaster preparedness. Proposed measures include radar-based alerts, physical sirens, and legislation allowing residents to sign up for emergency notifications when renewing their driver’s licenses, a bill Abbott vetoed in 2019. Lawmakers have also criticized Kerr County’s river authority for cutting taxes instead of upgrading its flood alert infrastructure, a decision now facing renewed scrutiny.

Meanwhile, debate over the redrawing of Texas’ congressional districts has intensified. In an unusually timed move, Republicans have begun mid-decade redistricting, a process typically reserved for post-census years. Democrats argue the effort is politically motivated and driven by President Donald Trump’s push to secure more GOP-leaning seats ahead of 2026. At a heated public hearing, Democratic Rep. Joaquin Castro warned the plan could confuse voters and set a dangerous precedent for other states. Republicans have so far remained largely silent on their motivations, and no new maps have been publicly released.

In another flashpoint, the Senate has revived legislation to ban intoxicating hemp-derived THC products just weeks after Abbott vetoed a similar bill. Despite the governor’s stated preference for regulation over prohibition, senators unanimously advanced a near-identical bill out of committee, claiming regulation had failed. Law enforcement officials warned that regulation would be costly and ineffective, while critics argued a ban would shutter hundreds of businesses and harm veterans who rely on THC as an alternative to opioids. The proposal, Senate Bill 5, now moves to the full Senate for debate.

Taken together, the Legislature’s special session reveals deeper tensions in how Texas governs in times of crisis and change. Whether confronting the failures exposed by deadly floods, accelerating a controversial redistricting push, or reviving a THC ban despite economic and health concerns, lawmakers are navigating urgent public demands and partisan agendas simultaneously.