Austin (Nexstar) – Just a week ago, Texas House Democrats made their way back to the state after absconding to block Republicans from pushing through President Donald Trump’s proposed “big and beautiful map.” In a new twist, Republicans are working to ensure that Democrats can’t easily leave again in the future.
During the second special session, legislators introduced three bills aimed at punishing those who might attempt to break quorum again. These initiatives were added to the special session agenda by Governor Greg Abbott on Wednesday.
- House Bill 18: Bans funding during quorum breaks.
- Senate Bill 48/House Bill 64: Laws allowing seats to be vacated after seven consecutive absences.
- House Joint Resolution 10: Proposes an amendment to lower the quorum requirement from two-thirds to a simple majority.
According to Texas news reporter Brad Johnson, Republicans in the state agreed to back all these measures, along with changes to House rules that increase penalties for future quorum breakers.
These proposed changes could include:
- Loss of seniority, which would enable the removal of Chairman/Vice-Chairman roles for breaking quorum.
- An increase in the daily fine for breaking quorum from $500.
- Confiscation of a proportionate amount from office budgets for every day someone is absent.
- An automatic vacancy of a Chairman or Vice-President role after two consecutive absences.
However, they recently fell short of the two-thirds vote necessary to back the actions against Democrats who had left the state.
As State Assemblyman Andy Hopper expressed, the fragile unity within the Republican caucus is fracturing. He pointed out that only 44 Republicans agreed to punish their colleagues who had effectively abandoned the issue. “It’s disappointing,” he remarked.
Another Republican, State Rep. Nate Schatzlein, shared his frustrations, implying that the party had bent over backward for the far-left Democrats instead of supporting traditional Texas values.
The ongoing conflict regarding quorum break penalties comes after the Texas House highlighted the fines related to these interruptions. Rep. Venton Jones from Dallas revealed that his office had received a letter detailing a fine of $9,354.25 for a quorum break, which included a $7,000 penalty for the House rules violation.
It appears that most members fined for breaching quorum faced similar amounts, according to Texas House Democrats.
Discussions on Banning Fundraising During Special Sessions
On Friday, the Texas Senate halted a last-ditch effort led by Senator Carol Alvarado to stop the “big and beautiful map” through a filibuster. In an early morning session, Senator Charles Perry accused Alvarado of unethical fundraising during a critical time, suggesting it was against the rules. Typically, lawmakers are restricted from raising campaign funds during regular sessions but are allowed to do so during special sessions.
Alvarado responded, saying, “I thought it was a flimsy excuse meant to quell the filibuster, which I see as a fundamental part of Senate tradition.”
State Senator Paul Bettencourt later echoed calls for a fundraising ban during special sessions, stating that the current circumstances surrounding the fundraising efforts were unprecedented.
Bettencourt argued that outside funding recognizes the need to travel in Texas, which would limit future quorum breaks significantly. He highlighted that the overarching goal would be to expedite legislative work while minimizing the burden on taxpayers.
Alvarado indicated her support for Bettencourt and Patrick’s proposals, even expressing willingness to co-author the initiative.
Bettencourt also suggested that his ban would extend to include the governor’s office, aiming to minimize disruptions during special sessions.
After Bettencourt and Patrick’s recommendations for banning donations during special sessions, Abbott added new items to his ongoing special session agenda.
