Absent lawmakers stymie special session
Nearly 60 Texas House Democrats left the state last Monday for Washington, D.C. in an effort to stop passage of a Republican-led elections bill. This in effect blocks all legislation since the House doesn’t have a quorum present. As the Austin American Statesman and other media outlets reported, Gov. Greg Abbott has threatened to arrest the absent lawmakers upon their return. While in Washington, the legislators have met with Vice President Kamala Harris and several Democratic senators to push passage of a federal elections bill that is currently stalemated.