This Is What Texas Republicans Are Doing Before Gina Hinojosa Takes Office

Texas Republicans are scrambling after Democrat Gina Hinojosa became Texas governor-elect and are working out ideas to limit her power when she takes office.

Republican state Rep. Brian Harrison (TX-10) started pressing Gov. Greg Abbott to call a special session to restrict emergency powers granted to the governor, according to FOX 4.

Before Hinojosa takes office, some Republican lawmakers are calling on Abbott to limit the powers the governor can wield.

Republican Texas House Rep. Brian Harrison, who represents parts of Ellis County, has called on Gov. Abbott to call a special session to restrict the emergency powers granted to the governor.

Harrison's call also includes prohibiting the governor from suspending or modifying statutes.

The Texas State Rep. had previously authored a bill in 2022 seeking to limit the office's power, but it did not move forward.

Part of that 2022 bill read, "Never-ending emergency powers are antithetical to representative government and render people powerless.  Legislative bodies allowing a single executive branch official to both write and enforce laws is the biggest threat to our constitutional system of divided government and should be opposed irrespective of which political party runs the executive branch."

Harrison told FOX 4, “If Governor Abbott wants to do one final good thing for the state of Texas, he will respond to this, and he will immediately convene the Texas legislature to make sure that Gina Hinojosa does not inherit what are effectively all the powers of a dictator in the state of Texas.”

Harrison’s bill would also require judicial review of emergency orders and prohibit the governor from reissuing emergency orders that expired or were rejected by the state legislature.

🚨 I call on Gov. Abbott to IMMEDIATELY convene a special session to REIN IN EXECUTIVE EMERGENCY POWERS… before Gina Hinojosa is sworn in! Republicans lost last night, but Democrats were not sworn in. We still have total power in Texas, and we must act like it by using the remaining ten weeks to restore separation of powers and limit the emergency powers that Governor-Elect Hinojosa is set to inherit, which would allow her to destroy liberty in Texas by executive fiat. I’ve warned since I was first elected that NO governor, Republican or Democrat, should have unchecked emergency powers! Now that Texas has elected a Democrat Governor, the urgency is undeniable… and inaction is intolerable. Without action, Governor Hinojosa will inherit the powers of a DICTATOR. Due to the absurd (and almost certainly unconstitutional) Texas emergency powers laws, Gov. Hinojosa will literally have the power to modify laws, ignore laws, or create and enforce laws – including criminal laws – on a whim! Today is a day for ACTION, and bold leadership. The Texas Legislature must immediately pass, and Governor Abbott must sign, legislation like HB911, which I filed in 2022 and warned at the time, that “Never ending emergency powers are antithetical to representative government and render people powerless. Legislative bodies allowing a single executive branch official to both write and enforce laws is the biggest threat to our constitutional system of divided government and should be opposed irrespective of which political party runs the executive branch.” My legislation would protect liberty from executive fiat by, among other things, taking the following actions: 1. Prohibit the Governor from suspending or modifying statutes 2. Sunset emergency orders in 30 days if the legislature does not ratify the order 3. Prohibit the governor from reissuing emergency orders that expired or the legislature rejected 4. Require emergency orders to be narrowly tailored 5. Subject emergency orders to expedited judicial review We have TEN WEEKS LEFT to protect Texas from near total Democrat rule. I encourage every elected Republican in Texas to join my demand for Gov. Abbott to call a special session. The future of liberty in America is literally on the line in Texas, and Texans deserve leadership that acts accordingly. @GregAbbott_TX

— Brian Harrison (@brianeharrison) November 4, 2026

The lawmaker sent a letter to Gov. Abbott noting that “Due to Texas’s absurd (and almost certainly unconstitutional) emergency powers laws, Gov. Hinojosa will literally inherit the power to modify laws, ignore laws, or create and enforce laws – including criminal laws – on a whim.”

Hinojosa has not directly addressed Harrison’s proposal, but during her first post-election news conference on Thursday, she said, “The people of Texas have spoken, and I think it’s important that as elected leaders we respect what the people of Texas have said.”

And this is why we shouldn’t give so much power to one official. The legislature exists for a reason. But in Texas’ case, they abdicated much of their power to the executive branch. Once you give a government official power, it is difficult to take it back.

Allowing this to happen might seem wise in the moment to the party in power. But it isn’t so great once the opposition gets into power.

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