A Texas House Republican called on Gov. Greg Abbott to restrict the governor's emergency powers before Democrat Gina Hinojosa takes office in January. State Rep. Brian Harrison urged Abbott to call a special session and proposed legislation limiting how governors can use emergency executive orders.
Where
Statewide
When
Nov. 5, 2026
Sources
Reported by 2 outlets
Taxes and money
None stated in sources.
Who's involved
Brian HarrisonTexas House state representative
Greg AbbottTexas Governor
Gina HinojosaGovernor-elect
The facts
Brian Harrison sent a letter to Abbott on Nov. 5 urging him to call a special session to restrict emergency powers.2
Harrison proposed legislation to bar governors from suspending or modifying statutes via emergency orders.2
Harrison's bill would require emergency orders to expire in 30 days if not ratified by the legislature.2
Hinojosa won the Nov. 5 gubernatorial election, defeating Abbott 52.8% to 45.7%.2
Hinojosa will take office with a Democrat-controlled Texas House, Democrat lieutenant governor, and Democrat attorney general.2
Republicans retain a majority in the Texas state Senate.2
Who said what
These are statements and claims made by the people involved. They are reported, not verified.
Brian Harrison Governor emergency powers laws are unconstitutional and allow governors to modify, ignore or create laws on a whim.2
Gina Hinojosa Within an hour of taking office she will declare a high-cost emergency and suspend gas and diesel taxes and freeze electricity rates.2
Brian Harrison Hinojosa's promised use of emergency powers could wreak havoc on the oil and gas sector.2
How they headlined it
The same event, as each outlet put it. Marked words appear in only one outlet's headline.
Texas GOP moves to curb new governor's power before she takes office
These outlets were found through Google News headlines. Google decides which outlets appear there, and they lean mostly one way, so this sheet can only be as balanced as the reporting it was built from. Leanings are AllSides Media Bias Ratings.
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