Navigating the quorum break, Speaker Dade Phelan said he was especially mindful of not doing “un-repairable harm” to the chamber, indicating that could have happened if members were physically detained and brought to the chamber.
Patrick Svitek
Patrick Svitek was the primary political correspondent for The Texas Tribune. Patrick covered elections, state leaders, the Legislature and political trends across the state from 2015 until 2024. He previously worked for the Houston Chronicle's Austin bureau. Patrick graduated in 2014 from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. He is originally from Fort Wayne, Indiana.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House solidifies quorum with burst of returning Democrats but has only two weeks left to pass jam-packed agenda
It’s unclear what the Legislature will be able to accomplish with just two weeks left on the 30-day clock. Key legislative deadlines are coming. Member relationships are frayed. Some Democrats warn the quorum could be broken again.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Full FDA approval of Pfizer vaccine opens door for vaccine mandates in Texas
With the U.S. Food and Drug administration’s full approval of the Pfizer vaccine, Texas is in uncharted territory when it comes to COVID-19 vaccinations.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House finally makes quorum, but Democrats say Republicans cheated to get there
There were 99 members registered as present Thursday evening, the exact number needed to end the 38-day Democratic quorum break over the GOP’s priority elections bill. But not all of those members were physically on the floor.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick blames Democrats for low vaccinations among Black residents, but more white Texans are unvaccinated
In Texas, the vaccination rate among Black people is low compared with other racial and ethnic groups, but in terms of raw numbers, the biggest group of the unvaccinated is white people.
Posted in
Texas 2022 Elections
Ted Cruz says he’d be a “disloyal jackass” if he didn’t vote for Greg Abbott for governor in Republican primary
Abbott has drawn at least three primary opponents, including former Dallas state Sen. Don Huffines and former Texas GOP Chair Allen West.
Posted in
Texas Legislature 2021
The threats of state troopers arresting House Democrats have yet to materialize
As of Wednesday, there were no known cases of absent Democrats being arrested, and the chamber was still shy of the 100 members it needs for a quorum to conduct official business. That is despite its Aug. 10 vote to proceed with the arrests.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tests positive for COVID-19
The governor spoke Monday night at a GOP event in Collin County, later tweeting photos of him addressing a maskless crowd. Less than three hours before his diagnosis was announced Tuesday afternoon, he tweeted pictures of a meeting with guitarist Jimmie Vaughan.
Posted in
Politics
8 candidates file for special election to replace former state Rep. Jake Ellzey
Five Republicans, one Democrat, an Independent and a Libertarian are vying to fill Ellzey’s seat after he won a promotion to Congress last month. The filing deadline was 5 p.m. Thursday.
Posted in
Coronavirus in Texas
“The rebellion is spreading”: After local Texas officials defy his ban on mask mandates, Gov. Greg Abbott begins to clamp down
In the face of skyrocketing hospitalizations, the heads of cities, counties and school districts have grown desperate for ways to contain the virus.
