The Texas Senate held a marathon session Tuesday to pass a variety of Gov. Greg Abbott's special session priorities — despite dozens of House Democrats remaining out of state.
But it wasn't without its own political drama. Early in the day, nine of the Senate's Democrats walked out to protest the same GOP-based plan to redraw the state's congressional districts that prompted the House quorum break earlier this month.
The Democratic lawmakers were unable to block the passage of the new maps in the Senate, which passed Tuesday with Republican support. But the redistricting effort will still remain stalled for as long as House Democrats keep up their quorum break. .
As the Senate began to take up the bill, Democratic Sen. Jose Menéndez of San Antonio asked the chamber to instead first take up bills related to the devastating July 4 floods. "I just thought maybe we could hear them all together at the very front-end, and start this day on a positive note helping take care of Texans," Menéndez said.
Lubbock Republican Sen. Charles Perry, who presided over the Senate on Tuesday, denied the request.
"I'd like to end on a positive note today, and I think the bills that you referred to will do that," Perry said. "I hope that the bills prior to that will still do that."
Menéndez and eight other Democratic Senators then made their way off the Senate floor, leaving only two behind: Judith Zaffirini of Laredo and Juan Hinojosa of McAllen.Speaking to the press outside the Senate chamber immediately afterwards, Democratic Sen. Royce West of Dallas said they planned it that way.
"We all got together and made a decision to have at least two of the members on the floor asking questions," Royce said.
The walkout, however, was not a quorum break. Enough state senators were still present to pass the redistricting bill 19-2 with essentially no debate.
During normal legislative times, the bill would now head to the Texas House for its approval. But given the ongoing deadlock in that chamber, the Senate's passage of the legislation was more a symbolic gesture.
That's because, hours earlier, both House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick signaled their plans to adjourn the current special session this Friday.
Lawmakers will likely be staying put in Austin. That's because Gov. Greg Abbott said he will "immediately" call the Texas Legislature back again until the quorum break in the House ends.
"I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed," Abbott said.
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