Texas House Speaker Orders Absent Democrats to Collect Paychecks in Person

Actions Against Absent Texas Democrats

• ⚖️ Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that civil arrest warrants have been domesticated in Illinois, seeking to enforce them beyond Texas state lines.
• 🤝 The Sergeant-at-Arms of the Illinois House of Representatives has been contacted for assistance in returning absent members.
• 🔍 The Department of Public Safety is actively tracking absent members to compel their return to the chamber.
• FBI assistance has reportedly been enlisted, with their powers not confined to a single state.

New Administrative Policies for Absent Members

• 💰 A new policy requires members absent to break quorum to pick up their paychecks and per diems in person, rather than receiving them electronically.
• 🚫 While pay cannot be withheld, the method of issuance is being changed to safeguard taxpayer dollars.
• 📉 30% of each quorum-breaking member's monthly operating budget will be reserved and unavailable for expenditure.
• 📝 Absent members must appear in person to approve requests for travel reimbursement, personal action requests, and approval for newsletters and reproduction services.
• 📰 Failure to appear in person will result in the cancellation of newsletters and encumbered funds.

Legislative Priorities and Quorum Requirements

• 🏠 Dr. Greg Bonan will file House Bill 3, the House's priority legislation for flood recovery and infrastructure funding.
• ⏳ The bill cannot be referred to committee without a quorum, and every hour of absence is time stolen from Texans in need.
• 📢 Speaker Burrows urged absent members to return, stating that the political cost of their absence is rising.

Return to Session and Adjournment

• 🗓️ Members are expected to be back in Austin by Monday at the latest, with DPS prepared to execute warrants.
• 📣 Absent colleagues may be civilly arrested over the weekend and will need to be available to return to Austin with 6 hours' notice.
• 🚶 Members present today have written permission to leave the chamber and return on Monday at 1 p.m., unless called back sooner due to DPS actions.
• ⏳ The House stands adjourned until Saturday at 11:00 a.m., with a pro-former session scheduled for tomorrow at 11:00 a.m.