Texas Democrats They signed a “license form” they signed, leaving the chamber as a departure from the chamber before they voted on the controversial Texas Congress on Wednesday.
These clicks are part of a new monitoring protocol set by Texas Republicans In the housing conference hall, it is pointed out that Democrats “have only written permission after agreeing to be released and detained [Texas department of public safety] The officers” will make sure they return to the conference hall.
The move comes after a two-week statutory break that delays Republican efforts to redefine the state’s congress to align with Donald Trump’s efforts to reshape the U.S. House map ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.
Collier chose to stay limited on Tuesday Texas The indoor conference hall was until lawmakers reconsidered Wednesday, refusing to comply with the “depreciation” agreement she condemned.
Collier is one of dozens of Democrats who left the state for democratic havens in California, Illinois, Massachusetts and New York to postpone the Republican-controlled legislature’s approval of the Redrawn congressional district Trump sought. When they returned Monday, Republicans insisted that Democrats had all-weather police escorts to make sure they didn’t leave again and suffered Wednesday’s planned House vote on the new political map.
But Collier won’t sign what the Democrats call “permit” required to leave the House, a half-page form that allows public safety forces to follow them. She spent Monday night and Tuesday on the floor of the house, where she set up a live stream while Democratic colleagues outside followed plainclothes officials to their offices and homes.
Dallas area representative Linda Garcia said she drove from Austin with an official for three hours. She said when she went shopping at the grocery store, he went to every aisle with her, pretending to shop. Two unmarked cars stopped outside her home as she spoke to the Associated Press over the phone.
“It’s a weird feeling,” she said. “The only way to explain the whole process is: like I did in the movie.”
The soldier mission ordered by Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows is another escalation of a redistribution battle nationwide. Trump is pushing Republican state officials to tilt the map of mid-2026 to maintain the Republican slim numerous seats, while Democrats nationwide gathered around retaliation efforts.
House Minority Leader Gene Wu from Houston and state representative Vince Perez of El Paso stayed overnight with Collier, who represented the minority-majority-majority-majority-fort.
On Tuesday, more and more Democrats returned to the Capitol building, tearing up the slides they signed and staying on the floor of the house, where there is a lounge and member bathroom.
Dallas Regional Representative Cassandra Garcia Hernandez called their protests “a sleeping party of democracy” and said Democrats held strategic meetings on the ground.
“We are not criminals,” Houston representative Penny Morales Shaw said.
Collier said having officials cover up her is an attack on her dignity and control her movements.
Burrows dismissed Collier’s protests, saying he focused on important issues such as providing property tax relief and responding to the deadly flooding last month. His statement did not mention rezoning Tuesday morning and his office did not immediately respond to other Democrats joining Collier.
“Under House rules, Representative Collier chose to stay rather than sign the licensing unit,” Burrows said.
Under these rules, the doors of the conference hall were locked until a scheduled vote on Wednesday and no members could leave “without the written permission of the spokesperson.”
To do business on Wednesday, 100 of the 150 House members must be present.
The Republican plan is to send five other Republicans to the U.S. House of Representatives. Texas Democrats returned to Austin after California Democrats launched an effort to remake their state’s districts, occupying five seats from Republicans.
Democrats also said they returned because they hope to challenge the new map in court.
Republicans issued a civil warrant after leaving the state on August 3 to bring the Democrats back, Greg AbbottThe Republican governor asked the state Supreme Court to remove the warriors and several other Democrats. Legislators face a $500 fine every day when they miss each day.
The Democrats reported different levels of monitoring. Houston representative Armando Walle said he was not sure where the police escort was, but the number of police holders at the Capitol was getting higher and higher, so he felt he was under close surveillance.
Some Democrats say it was friendly to look at their officers. But Austin Representative Sheryl Cole said in a social media post that the officer who followed her lost her on the trail while walking Tuesday morning, got angry and threatened to arrest her.
Garcia said her nine-year-old son was with her while driving home, and every time she looked in the rearview mirror, she saw the officer behind. He walked into a grocery store where she shopped with her son.
“I think it’s the feeling when you have the potential to shoplift and someone evaluates whether you want to steal,” she said.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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