Texas House Democrats have reportedly decided to return to the state after previously fleeing to avoid legislative efforts, particularly those by Republicans aiming to redraw the state’s Capitol district lines.
According to various sources, including ABC 13 Houston, these absent lawmakers made their way back to Austin, feeling that Republicans had successfully thwarted attempts to proceed with special meetings designed to pass the Constituency Change Act. The current special session is set to expire next Tuesday, though it remains unclear exactly when the Democrats will arrive in the capital.
The Texas GOP is reportedly urging for these so-called “tame” Democrats to return and has even suggested a nationwide civil arrest warrant to break the quorum.
The return of the Democrats coincides with Texas Senators approving a new Congressional map, which now needs to be approved by the House before it can be signed into law by Republican Governor Greg Abbott.
This week, both Lt. Col. Dan Patrick and Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows indicated that if the Democrats do not return by Friday, special legislative meetings will be pushed back.
Governor Abbott has hinted at possibly calling for indefinite special sessions, emphasizing that the absent Democrats might face arrests that could persist for years.
Abbott seems eager to initiate two consecutive special sessions soon, with indications that more agenda items might be considered.
Democrats leaving Texas is a strategy reminiscent of past actions; in 2021, over 50 Democrats fled to the nation’s capital to disrupt Republican election safety laws after the 2020 election loss for Trump.
This tactic previously led to Abbott calling three successive special sessions, ultimately resulting in the passage of the election security bill during the second session.
