Texas House reaches quorum after Democrats blocked voting bill for weeks by leaving state

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

The Texas House reached a quorum Thursday for the first time since July, clearing the way for new voting restrictions to pass after a record-breaking Democratic boycott had stalled the bill for weeks, creating a standoff with Republicans who sought the arrest of absent members.

Thursday’s session effectively ended the months-long Democratic protest over the voting measure — at least for now. To stop the bill from advancing, Democrats staged a walkout in May and a mass exodus to Washington in July, breaking the record for longest quorum break in Texas history and forcing Gov. Greg Abbott (R) to order a second special session.

The House had a quorum as of 6:13 p.m. local time after several more Democrats returned to the floor. House Speaker Dade Phelan (R) gaveled the session to order and welcomed one of the Democrats — Rep. Garnet Coleman — by name, inviting him to deliver the opening prayer.

The majority-Republican chamber quickly referred the voting-restrictions bill to committee, bringing the measure one step closer to passage. Abbott listed elections policy among the 17 issues to be addressed during the second special session, which can last up to 30 days.

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2021/08/19/texas-house-quorum-voting-bill-democrats/

[ananda]

1. Bummer.

I hate Republican government.

[Fullduplexxx]

2. Why did they return ?

Oh here's the line .....

The three Houston-area Democrats released a joint statement citing the state’s covid-19 surge as schools are reopening as their reason for returning. (And sticking it to voting rights) thanks for making the fight a gesture

[LeftInTX]

12. Probably redistricting...Without quorum redistricting will be done a panel of five Republicans:

Dan Patrick (Lt Gov), Ken Paxton (AG), Dade Phelan (Speaker), Glenn Hegar, (Comptroller) and P Bush (Land Commissioner)

No vote, no compromise..no nothing...autocratically determined

[Evolve Dammit]

3. Vile. Just so anti-democratic as to fuck with voting rights. A pox on the TX House.

[GB_RN]

4. This Was All Just A Matter Of Time

Unfortunately. They couldn’t hold out forever, especially seeing as how they lost the funding fight at the Texas Supreme Court over theirs and their staffs’ paychecks.

[Nictuku]

5. Damn

[Mersky]

6. Rather unhappy with this

Now is not the time to return

[LeftInTX]

8. Here's the deal: The Legislative Redistricting Board

They will redistrict if there is no quorum. LRB consists of Dan Patrick, Ken Paxton, Phelan, Glenn Hager and P Bush

https://texaslawreview.org/below-board-how-texass-legislative-redistricting-board-violates-section-2-of-the-voting-rights-act/

[Mersky]

11. Thank you

I needed that context, however it is I may struggle with news of their return.

[FBaggins]

13. Republicans had control of redistricting anyway

I think the timing rationale is much simpler:

They couldn’t last forever… so they could either watch their efforts to draw attention to the cause get drowned in Afghanistan coverage… or use that distraction to reduce the impact of giving up.

[LeftInTX]

17. There would be no compromise with the Legislative Redistricting Board

At least Trey Martinez Fischer will be able to argue in Federal Court regarding the ones that the legislature redrew. He can testify what inputs they provided and how they were ignored.

[FBaggins]

18. That's pretty thin gruel

“We just HAD to come back and let those voting restrictions pass so that when we challenge some other action in court we can tell the judge that we were in the room at the time and shook our heads vigorously” ?

[Lonestarblue]

7. Well, there goes fair elections in Texas.

I hope lawyers are getting ready to take this to court.

[LeftInTX]

9. They can redistrict without quorum and results will be even worse

If state lawmakers can't reach a compromise on the legislative maps, or if the governor vetoes their maps, the decision goes to a body known as the Legislative Redistricting Board — an entity made up of the lieutenant governor, the speaker of the House, the attorney general, the state comptroller, and the state land commissioner. All Republicans.

[Lonestarblue]

10. Yep. We're screwed. Texas will remain red for the next decade.

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

16. The word "compromise" is not in the GQP lexicon.

Also missing: truth, fairness, empathy, duty, service.

[LiberalFighter]

14. They should all get sick.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

15. For this thread

Link to tweet