Gov. Greg Abbott will be giving his State of the State address on February 16, the latest a Texas governor has delivered the speech in decades.
Since George Bush took office in 1995, the latest the speech had been given was 36 days after the start of session, according to a survey by Texas Scorecard.
This year, Abbott’s speech will come 38 days since the 88th Session of the Texas Legislature opened on January 10.
During the speech, which is a constitutional requirement, Abbott will identify his legislative priority items. The legislature will not be able to pass any bills outside of those priorities outlined by Abbott prior to the 60th day of session, per the Texas Constitution.
“I look forward to sharing my priorities for this legislative session as we build the Texas of tomorrow!” Abbott recently tweeted.
It is expected that the speech will call for additional border security measures, urge support for school choice legislation, and push for property tax reduction.
In preparation for the speech, some legislators have appealed to the governor for certain items to receive the priority designation.
In a letter to Gov. Abbott, Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Midlothian) outlined several issues he would like to see prioritized.
In a statement provided to The Dallas Express, Harrison explained, “Texas has historically led in the defense of liberty, freedom, and conservative values. Unfortunately, in too many areas, we are falling behind.”
“I’m asking the Governor to allow us to act on four items that require immediate action: securing the border, passing education freedom, stopping child gender modification, and banning COVID vaccine mandates,” he continued.
The Democratic Party of Texas has already filmed a 10-minute rebuttal video urging for “gun safety legislation,” additional work on the electric grid, and opposition to school choice.
“In our Democratic response,” the party explained, “we’ll be featuring a diverse group of everyday Texans … discussing how Governor Abbott and Texas Republicans are standing in the way of the well-being of all Texans.”
Abbott’s speech will be given in San Marcos at 7:00 p.m. and aired across the state on 16 Nexstar television stations, according to a press release.
The Dallas Express reached out to the Dallas County Republican Party and the Dallas County Democratic Party for comment. No responses were received by the publication deadline.