The move comes after bills to do so were unsuccessful during the regular legislative session — and after Abbott did not include them on his agenda for the ongoing special session.
Texas Legislature 2021
The 87th Texas Legislature approved hundreds of new laws during its regular session that ended in May 2021, including a near-total ban on abortions. Lawmakers then returned to Austin for three special sessions aimed at passing additional conservative priorities. Although House Democrats fled the state for weeks, lawmakers eventually passed new voting restrictions. They also approved new political maps and a proposed constitutional amendment that could lower property tax bills.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Analysis: Texas Democrats may find themselves in the wilderness of wandering public attention
The legislative Democrats who decamped from Texas to Washington, D.C., to block a voting bill need public attention to pull the argument their way — and that’s going to be harder to get after last week’s first news of their quorum-busting.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Five Texas House Democrats who traveled to Washington, D.C., have tested positive for coronavirus
Three lawmakers tested positive on Saturday and two more on Sunday. All of the lawmakers are fully vaccinated.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Extra money for retired teachers in a “13th check” at center of Republican-Democrat shouting match
On Tuesday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 7, which would provide retired teachers, counselors and school staff a one-time payment of up to $2,400 through the Teacher Retirement System of Texas.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Senate advances bills limiting education about race, access to abortion-inducing medications. The House is still sidelined.
It’s largely symbolic, but the Texas Senate is nearing the end of its work on Republican priorities for the special legislative session after passing bills limiting “critical race theory” and abortion access Friday.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas House Speaker offers Democrats free plane ride home to return to state
The plane will be on standby at Dulles International Airport, and Dade Phelan’s team said his political campaign, not taxpayers, will pay for the flight.
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Texas Legislature 2021
El Paso Democrat Joe Moody stripped of leadership position in Texas House after leaving state with Democrats
Moody, one of House Speaker Dade Phelan’s closest Democratic allies, is the first Democrat to suffer political backlash after the quorum break.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texans, where’s your Democratic lawmaker?
Here’s a list of the Texas Democrats who left the state in an effort to block GOP voting legislation.
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Texas Legislature 2021
Texas Democrats’ decampment over voting legislation has echoes of 2003 redistricting fight
Now, as in 2003, Democrats say their main motivator is protecting the voices of Texas voters. Can they stop legislation that would restrict voting in Texas?
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Texas Legislature 2021
Who is footing the bill for Texas Democrats’ weekslong exodus to block the voting bill?
With over 50 House Democrats in Washington — along with 12 paid staff — the costs are quickly mounting and the party’s funds are not unlimited.
