Political science expert breaks down the need for special sessions in Texas

GOVERNOR GREGABBOTT -- VETOESFUNDING FOR STATELAWMAKERS.NOW -- HE'S CALLING ASPECIAL SESSION THISFALL -- TO REVIEWWHAT HE CALLS"UNFINISHEDBUSINESS."GOOD MORNING-- I'MJOEY HORTA.AND I'M PAIGEELLENBERGER.BUT WHAT DOES THISMEAN?

I SAT DOWNWITH A POLITICALSCIENCE EXPERT WHOEXPLAINS WHAT YOUNEED TO KNOW.TRACK1PAIGE: "WHAT IS ASPECIAL SESSION?."SOT: DR. JOHNKOEHLER, ASSISTANTPROFESSOR POLITICALSCIENCE, TEXAS A&MCENTRAL TEXAS"EVERY STATE ALLOWS FORSPECIAL SESSIONS IN CASETHERE IS A NEED FOR THELEGISLATURE TO CONSIDERSOMETHING AFTER THEREGULAR SESSION.

MOSTSTATES ALLOW THELEGISLATURE TOCOOPERATE WITH THEGOVERNOR IN DECIDINGWHETHER OR NOT THERE ISA SPECIAL SESSION, BUTTEXAS IN 39 STATES, ONLYTHE GOVERNOR IS ABLE TOCALL A SPECIAL SESSION.

SOIT REALLY KIND OF GIVESINSIGHT INTO THE THEINCREASED EXECUTIVEPOWERS THAT WE HAVEHERE IN TEXAS"TRACK2PAIGE: HOW MUCHDOES IT COST THETAXPAYER HERE INTEXAS, FOR A SPECIALSESSION TO BE HELD?KOEHLER: I'D HAVE TOLOOK UP, BUT STATEREPRESENTATIVES GETA PER DIEM.

SO I DON'TBELIEVE AS FAR AS IKNOW, I DON'T BELIEVEIT IMPACTS THEIRSALARY, WHICH ISALREADY QUITEMINIMAL."TRACK3PAIGE:YOU JUSTMENTIONED THAT ITDOESN'T NECESSARILYHURT STATELAWMAKERS' SALARY.SO WHO KIND OF DOESIT HURT THEN?KOEHLER: "THEYESSENTIALLY STAGEDTHE PROTESTS, YOUKNOW, SIMILAR, KIND OFLIKE A FILIBUSTER TYPEDEAL FOR LIKE AN APPTHE LAST HOUR.

BUTIT'S A LITTLE INSINCERETHERE TO SAY THATTHEY DIDN'T EARNTHEIR PAY FOR THESESSION, WHEN YOU'RETALKING ABOUT THEVERY TAIL END OF ITTHERE."TRACK4PAGE: SHOULD THEPUBLIC BE WORRIEDABOUT HAVING TO HOLDANOTHER SPECIALSESSION?KOEHLER: "I THINK THEIMPORTANT THING FORVOTERS TO KEEP INMIND IS THAT THESPECIAL SESSION ISENTIRELY AT THEDISCRETION OF THEGOVERNOR.

BLAME CANBE SHIFTED BETWEENLEGISLATORS AND THEGOVERNOR, BUT IT'STHE GOVERNOR THATDECIDES WHETHER ORNOT TO HOLD A SPECIALSESSION."TRACK5PAIGE: WELL THANKYOU SO MUCH!

IT WAS APLEASURE TO MEETYOU.KOEHLER EXPLAINSTHAT HERE IN TEXASSPECIAL SESSIONS AVERY COMMONCONSIDERING THESTATE LEGISLATUREONLY MEETS EVERYOTHER SPRING.