Texas Governor Abbott calls special session in July, expected to yield final vote on voting reform

Texas GOP Gov. Greg Abbott has ordered state lawmakers back to work in July, for a special session in which he's expectedly to revive Republicans' efforts to pass legislation to enhance the security of the state's election system.

Abbott on Tuesday called for the special session to begin July 8, according to The New York Times.

The governor's announcement comes after state House Democrats staged a walk-out in May to block the voting-reform law. The measure had already passed in the GOP-controlled Senate.

The bill, if enacted by the legislature and signed by Abbott, would give poll watchers more authority and further secure non-polling station balloting such as mail-in and drive-through voting.

Abbott did not officially disclose the agenda for the session, releasing only a two-sentence statement on his official website announcing the start date and that agenda items would be announced prior to lawmakers returning to the state capital.

However, he had previously signaled that he would bring them back to pass the reform measure.

"We knew he would call us back to pass the voter suppression bill," Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa said Tuesday after Abbott’s announcement.