Texas House Democrats Flee State, Preventing Quorum; State Officials Take Action

Quorum Failure and Absent Legislators

• 🏛️ The Texas House of Representatives failed to achieve a quorum on Friday due to the continued absence of Texas Democrats.
• 📌 Representatives Moody, Raymond, Munoz, Mary Gonzalez, Loria, Cortez, Martinez, and Morales were specifically mentioned as needing to register from their desks.

State Officials' Response to Absence

• ⚖️ Attorney General Ken Paxton and Speaker Dade Phelan have initiated actions to domesticate civil arrest warrants in Illinois, aiming to enforce them beyond Texas.
• 🤝 Chairman Garren has requested direct assistance from the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Illinois House of Representatives to help return absent members.
• 🚓 The Department of Public Safety has been actively tracking absent members to facilitate their return to the chamber, with efforts continuing through the weekend.
• 🌐 The involvement of the FBI has been reported, with their powers not being confined to any single state's boundaries.

New Administrative Policies for Absent Members

• 💰 A new policy states that members absent to break quorum will no longer have their paychecks or per diems deposited electronically; checks must be picked up in person.
• 💸 30% of each quorum-breaking member's monthly operating budget will be reserved and made unavailable for expenditure, as per House rules authorizing fines.
• 📝 Absent members must appear in person to approve requests for travel reimbursement, personal action requests, and approval for newsletters and house reproduction services.

Urgency of Legislative Action

• 🌊 Dr. Greg Bonnie will file House Bill 3, the House's priority legislation for flood recovery and infrastructure funding, which requires a quorum to be referred to committee.
• ⏳ Every hour legislators remain away is time stolen from Texans in need of flood recovery assistance.
• ⏰ Legislators are expected to return by Monday at the latest, with DPS in the field to execute warrants and absent colleagues on call for potential civil arrest.

Adjournment and Next Steps

• 🗓️ The House adjourned until 11:00 a.m. Saturday, with members present today not needing to return until Monday at 1 p.m.
• 🗣️ The call of the House remains in force, and the House may adjourn from day to day.