Abbott will give State of the State address next week in San Marcos, not at the Capitol

John C. Moritz, Corpus Christi Caller Times
·2 min read

AUSTIN — Gov. Greg Abbott will follow the tradition break he started during the COVID pandemic in 2021 and deliver his every-other-year State of the State address next week at a venue away from the Texas Capitol and not during a formal joint session of the Legislature.

Instead, the governor will make his speech at a chamber of commerce venue in San Marcos that will be carried live beginning at 7 p.m. on Feb. 16 by a statewide TV news outlet. Reporters will not be allowed in the venue during the speech, Abbott's office said.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott receives a standing ovation at the conclusion of a speech during an event held by the Parent Empowerment Coalition at Annapolis Christian Academy on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott receives a standing ovation at the conclusion of a speech during an event held by the Parent Empowerment Coalition at Annapolis Christian Academy on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2023, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The pandemic limited activities inside the Capitol during the 2021 legislative session. So instead of appearing at a joint meeting of both houses inside the House chamber for the traditional pomp-filled speech, Abbott that year opted to make the speech on the campus of Visionary Fiber Technologies in nearby Lockhart.

This year's address, hosted by the Greater San Marcos Partnership and San Marcos Area Chamber of Commerce, will be the governor's opportunity to lay out in specifics his goals for his third term and what issues he'll designate as emergency business for lawmakers during the present session. Lawmakers will be invited to attend.

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"Texas is the apex of opportunity, where infinite possibilities allow our people to climb from humble beginnings to the heights of success," Abbott said in a news release on Tuesday. "This 88th Legislative Session is an opportunity for the Legislature and statewide leaders to transform the lives of Texans for generations and build an even brighter future for our state."

In recent public appearances, Abbott has pushed for legislation that would give parents funds to cover tuition at schools outside of the state's public school system and has promised to seek more than $4 billion to cover his initiatives to help secure Texas' border with Mexico.

This article originally appeared on Corpus Christi Caller Times: Gov. Abbott to lay out 2023 priorities at State of the State address