AUSTIN – On the opening day of the legislative special session, State Senator Donna Campbell filed Senate Bill 6, also known as the Texas Annexation Right to Vote Act. The bill protects homeowners and businesses from forced annexation and proposes needed reforms to the municipal annexation process in Texas, addressing one of Governor Abbott’s 20 priority items.

“It is wrong to force citizens who live outside the jurisdiction of a city to be absorbed as an exercise in government expansion simply to increase a city’s tax base,” Senator Campbell said. “The Texas Annexation Right to Vote Act protects property owners from forced annexation and gives residents a greater say in what should be a democratic process.”

The language of the bill mostly matches the content of SB 715, which was filibustered on the last day of the regular session. One new provision, discussed during the interim, provides protection for land use around military bases up to a quarter mile from the fence line.

Senator Campbell also filed another priority item, Senate Bill 10, to ensure that certain health care facilities report complications from abortions and for the Department of State Health Services to publish this data in an annual report.

“Good reporting of medical data ensures the best standard of care is being met,” said Senator Campbell. “Much of this information is already collected, but it is not being aggregated in a way in which the Department of State Health Services can accurately track patient care. Senate Bill 10 improves the reporting process to protect the safety of all women. These issues are important to Texans, and I am thankful Governor Abbott has granted the Legislature a chance to address these items during the next 30 days.”