(Texas Scorecard) – 140 days and 1,200 bills later, the Texas Legislature officially adjourned sine die on Monday, marking the end of the 89th Regular Legislative Session.
The Latin term “sine die” means “without a day,” signaling that lawmakers are not scheduled to reconvene—at least not yet.
While the regular session has concluded, the possibility always remains that lawmakers could be called back to the Capitol for a special session anytime during the next 18 months. That authority rests solely with Gov. Greg Abbott, who can summon the Legislature to address specific issues of his choosing.
At the moment, it is not clear that Abbott will call a special session. If he does, however, one issue appears most likely to be the focus: efforts to strengthen bail reform measures aimed at keeping violent repeat offenders and illegal aliens accused of violent crimes behind bars.
Those measures were killed in the House, as they did not gain enough Democrat support to garner the necessary two-thirds vote.
In the meantime, Abbott holds a powerful final card: the veto pen. Under state law, the governor has 20 days after final adjournment to sign or veto any bills that have landed on his desk. That means Abbott has until June 22 to act. If he takes no action by then, those bills automatically become law.
A veto from the governor outright kills a bill and prevents it from becoming law. Unlike during the session, lawmakers do not have the opportunity to override a veto after adjournment—making these next few weeks critical for any legislation that passed in the final days.
As the dust settles on the regular session, attention now turns to the governor’s next moves—whether that means a series of bill signings, a flurry of vetoes, or ordering the return of lawmakers to Austin for a summer overtime session.
If Abbott does not order a special session, the new legislative session begins January 12, 2027.