Texas Governor Greg Abbot (R) proposed legislation yesterday that would “defund cities that defund their police.” He also signed a pledge backing the blue during a press conference at the headquarters of the Austin Police Association, and urged all Texans and all candidates for office to sign as well.
Abbott’s legislation would “forever” remove a city’s ability to annex territory if they voted to defund their police departments. It would also allow residents of areas that have ever been annexed by a city that has defunded their police to vote to be disannexed from that city.
Abbott has also previously proposed a policy that would freeze property taxes for cities that defund their police.
Taken together, the proposals would make it “financially impossible” for cities to defund their police departments, Abbott said.