Gov. Abbott signs congressional redistricting bill

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(The Center Square) – Texas Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday signed the state’s new congressional redistricting bill into law. The new maps could swing up to five seats in Congress currently held by Democrats to Republican in the 2026 midterms.

He did so after adding it to the agenda of two special sessions. During the first special session, more than 50 House Democrats left the state in protest, halting legislative proceedings. The bill eventually passed in the second special session along party lines.

At least two lawsuits have been filed claiming the redistricting plan is illegal and discriminatory. Republicans not only argue it is legal but necessary to reflect voter trends and political preferences after more voters voted Republican in the last two elections, The Center Square reported.

Abbott posted a video on social media of him signing the bill into law, saying it “ensures fairer representation in the United States Congress for Texans.” He also thanked all state lawmakers who stayed in Austin to pass it.

“Texas is now more red in the United States Congress,” he said.

To counter Texas, California has sent a ballot measure to voters to approve in November that could swing several Republican-held seats to Democrats.

Today, I signed the One Big Beautiful Map into law. This map ensures fairer representation in Congress. Texas will be more RED in Congress. pic.twitter.com/aOT7QCoSF8

— Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) August 29, 2025

The Texas House and Senate passed additional bills this week on the special session agenda.

The Senate also passed SB 19, Banning Campaign Fundraising During Special Sessions, filed by Sen. Paul Bettencourt, R-Houston.

“For decades, Texas law has prohibited the Governor, Lt. Governor, and legislators from raising campaign funds during regular legislative sessions,” Patrick said. The bill bans campaign fundraising during special sessions to align with existing law that applies to regular sessions. It will also “prevent Democrats from breaking quorum in the future, since these ‘vacations’ are very hard to maintain without donor funds,” he said, referring to House Democrats absconding for more than two weeks. It will also reduce the number of special sessions in the future, “as well as their length, and encourage legislators to remain present and on task, saving taxpayers money,” he said.

Bettencourt explained the need for the bill, stating on social media that “Democratic Senate Caucus Chair [Sen.] Carol Alvarado engaged in what could only be described as active fundraising in the Capitol prior to an attempted filibuster on the Senate floor.”

He pointed to an Alvarado campaign email asking supporters to watch a planned filibuster on the Senate floor and to donate to support her. “The whole purpose of the email was to ‘rush donations’ to her campaign and in an enormous breach of Senate tradition and possible illegality, it was also accompanied by a series of short videos of her all around the Senate chamber to ‘Stand with Carol’ and watch her filibuster,” Bettencourt said.

The filibuster never happened because of procedural maneuvers Republicans took. In response, Alvarado said the Senate “silenced” her; Texas Senate Democrats said the Senate “crossed a line” by preventing her filibuster.

Bettencourt argues she turned “the entire Senate chamber, Senate gallery, staff, and other Senate members into props for an active political fundraiser at the Capitol” as an “active fundraiser,” which the new bill will prevent from occurring in the future.

The Texas Senate passed another three bills, SB 8, SB 19, and HB 25, which already passed the House.

SB 8 phases out the STAAR Test public school students are required to take every year.

“For far too long, Texas students and teachers have been burdened by the STAAR test, a cumbersome one-size-fits-all assessment that fails to actually measure student educational achievement,” Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick said. SB 8 replaces the test “with a system to assess student growth and improve educational outcomes,” Patrick said, adding that it’s “a victory for Texas parents, educators, and most importantly, students.”

The Senate also passed HB 25 after it already passed the House, which makes Ivermectin easily accessible, including over the counter at pharmacies. During COVID-19-era lockdowns, vaccine mandates and restrictions on alternative approaches to treatment were implemented, and a “need for increased medical freedom in Texas” arose, Patrick said. “The Texas Senate is committed to increasing medical freedom and ensuring Texans have access to the medical drugs they need.”

The House also passed key bills on the legislative agenda, including HB 7, which prohibits abortion-inducing medication by mail. The bill notably establishes a civil liability for individuals or entities who prescribe, dispense, ship, or provide abortion inducing medication, including providers located outside of Texas, in violation of state law. It also allows for a private right of action enforcement mechanism similar to other anti-abortion laws in the state.

The House also passed SB 8, after it already passed the Senate, which protects women and girls in public spaces including public restrooms, locker rooms, and other facilities.

House Speaker Dustin Burrows had originally hoped the House would be able to pass all bills on the legislative agenda by Labor Day weekend. However, that didn’t happen and the House is reconvening on Tuesday.