The Texas House may compel the attendance of its members by arrest if necessary, the state Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday. The court opinion comes after over a month without a legislative quorum in the Texas House.
Democratic members have been camping out in Washington, D.C. or other undisclosed locations in order to prevent a GOP-backed election reform bill from passing. Originally, nearly 60 members flew to D.C. but that number has dwindled since as some returned to Austin and others went elsewhere, including overseas.
Last week, Speaker Dade Phelan (R-Beaumont) issued 52 civil arrest warrants for Democrats still breaking quorum, but no arrests have occurred since. Some Democrats sued, securing a preliminary victory when a Travis County district court ruled that the state could not arrest truant members. That order was promptly but temporarily halted by the Texas Supreme Court pending further review.
That review was delivered Tuesday when Justice Jimmy Blacklock wrote the court’s opinion, stating, “The legal question before this Court concerns only whether the Texas Constitution gives the House of Representatives the authority to physically compel the attendance of absent members.”
“We conclude that it does, and we therefore direct the district court to withdraw the [temporary restraining order].”
The 52 members whose arrest warrants were issued are listed below:
https://thetexan.news/texas-house-can-compel-democrat-attendance-by-arrest-supreme-court-rules/