Texas lawmakers’ inaction on flood prevention often hits rural and economically disadvantaged communities the hardest, experts said.

The Legislature will look at proposals for emergency preparedness in a special session that was already planned over hemp laws. A bill to help build emergency systems failed in the spring.

The 30-day special session of the Texas Legislature is set to begin Monday, July 21. The agenda includes 18 legislative priorities determined by Gov. Greg Abbott.Several of the priorities listed address the recent devastating floods in Central Texas.

President Trump is seeking to pick up at least four, potentially five, Texas congressional seats for Republicans in a midterm election cycle that ordinarily would favor the Democrats.

Republicans in Texas are gearing up to redraw the state's congressional maps this week, aiming to secure five new seats for the GOP.This move is