Texas Legislature

Legislative activity continues to stall at the Capitol after more 50 Texas House Democrats fled the state to block a Republican-backed redistricting plan.

Republican state lawmakers argue their proposed congressional redistricting map would create Latino opportunity districts. But state Rep. Vince Perez (D-El Paso) counters that the map is drawn to leave Latino residents with one-third the voting power of whites. For Blacks, he says it would be one-fifth.

The Texas attorney general accused the organization, Powered by People, of running a financial influence scheme that convinced Texas Democratic lawmakers to travel out-of-state, leaving the Legislature in limbo.

For the past three days, Massachusetts has played host to a handful of Texas Democratic lawmakers who left their state to prevent a vote on a bill to redraw their congressional maps.

The case of Senator E.L. Alford, who was expelled from his seat in 1870, provides lessons for today.

More than 50 Texas House Democrats left the state to stall a Republican-backed redistricting plan, effectively shutting down legislative business at the state Capitol.

A growing quorum break in the Texas Legislature is halting progress in both chambers, delaying all legislative activity as House members remain absent.

The attorney general issued an opinion after Texas House Democrats broke quorum in 2021, stating that the move could allow Gov. Greg Abbott to replace lawmakers with appointees of his choosing.

U.S. Sen. Cornyn, a Republican, wants the FBI to use tools he says it has to track lawmakers who “cross state lines.” The president says the federal agency "may have to" get involved.

Gov. Greg Abbott says the dozens of Democrats who fled the state to block a redraw of the state's congressional maps could also be charged with bribery or be removed from their seats. Ethics experts question his threats.