Updated Aug. 15 12:48 p.m.
Texas House members gathered briefly for the start of their second called special session Aug. 15, but remained without a quorum with dozens of Democratic representatives still absent.
Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said he expects those elected officials will return and the House will re-establish a quorum Aug. 18.
Burrows criticized Democratic officials who remain absent and out of state this month, and said civil arrest warrants for them will be reissued until their return. He also said they’ll be responsible for paying “every dollar of expense” resulting from the quorum break.
Burrows said he hopes the House will complete its special session agenda before September.
“Showing up is half the battle, and those present today will have a say in what we accomplish over the next 30 days, or hopefully fewer, so let’s be ready to work,” he said.
Youth camp safety legislation from Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, was named a chamber priority with the designation of House Bill 1. Burrows also announced a previous measure from Rep. Joanne Shofner, R-Nacogdoches, allowing for the over-the-counter sale of ivermectin will return with the priority label House Bill 25.
Published Aug. 15 11:31 a.m.
Texas lawmakers closed out their first special legislative session of the year Aug. 15 without passing any new laws. The 30-day special session was cut short after dozens of House Democrats left the state Aug. 3 to fight a plan to redraw the state’s congressional districts.
In an Aug. 14 statement, the Democrats said they would return to Texas and end their nearly two-week walkout once the legislature adjourned and California lawmakers introduced a retaliatory redistricting proposal. The House Democratic Caucus had not announced an official return date as of press time.
Gov. Greg Abbott called a second special session soon after the House and Senate gaveled out Aug. 15, stating House Democrats "ran away from their responsibility to pass crucial legislation."
"Because of their dereliction of duty, Texas families and communities impacted by the catastrophic Fourth of July flooding have been delayed critical resources for relief and recovery. Numerous other bills to cut property taxes, support human trafficking survivors, eliminate the STAAR test, establish commonsense THC regulations and many others have all been brought to a halt because Democrats refuse to show up for work," Abbott said in a statement. "We will not back down from this fight. That's why I am calling them back today to finish the job. I will continue to use all necessary tools to ensure Texas delivers results for Texans."
Abbott has said he will “continue to call special session after special session” until his priorities pass. He asked lawmakers to complete nearly the same agenda as the first special session, which included improving flood warning systems and emergency communications; redrawing the state’s congressional map; regulating consumable THC products; and making it harder for local governments to raise property taxes. The lone addition was legislation aimed at youth camp safety, building on the other flooding items.
What’s happening
The House and Senate convened at 10 a.m. Aug. 15 and swiftly adjourned “sine die,” marking the end of a tense special session. The second special session was set to begin at noon.
“Do not go very far, as I believe our governor will be calling us back for another special session very, very soon," House Speaker Dustin Burrows, R-Lubbock, said as the House adjourned.
At least two-thirds of the 150-member House—known as a quorum—must be present to consider legislation or conduct other official business. The chamber was left at a standstill Aug. 15 with 95 House lawmakers present.
House lawmakers began filing legislation immediately; however, bills cannot be sent to committees without a quorum.
Dozens of House Democrats traveled to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts on Aug. 3 to protest the redistricting effort, which would restructure 37 of Texas’ 38 congressional districts. Democrats have decried the proposed congressional map as “intentionally racially discriminatory,” arguing that it would split up certain historically Black and Hispanic districts and “dilute” the voting power of minority communities. Republicans have asserted that the map was designed to flip up to five Democratic-held U.S. House seats during the 2026 midterm elections, saying that race was not a factor.
Senate redistricting chair Sen. Phil King, R-Weatherford, told his colleagues Aug. 12 that he did not see any legal or constitutional issues with the proposed map.
“No one has presented data, or frankly any compelling case that this map violates any applicable laws,” King said on the Senate floor.
All states are constitutionally required to redistrict every 10 years, after a census, although mid-decade redistricting is not unprecedented. Texas lawmakers also redrew the state's congressional map in 2003, leading Democrats to travel to Oklahoma in protest.
In response to Texas’ redistricting plan, California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Aug. 14 that his state would hold a Nov. 4 special election on a new congressional map.
“California will not sit idle as [President Donald Trump] and Republicans take a wrecking ball to our democracy,” Newsom said in an Aug. 14 social media post. “We’re giving voters a way to fight back and nullify congressional gains in Texas or any state that tries to rig its maps.”
Some Texas Republicans have suggested creating a different proposal that could net congressional Republicans more than 5 seats, although an additional map had not been filed as of press time.
What’s next
The House Democratic Caucus said their lawyers advised them to return to Texas for the second special session and “build a strong public legislative record for the upcoming legal battle” surrounding the proposed redraw of Texas’ congressional districts.
“Texas House Democrats broke quorum and successfully mobilized the nation against Trump's assault on minority voting rights,” House Democratic Caucus Chair Rep. Gene Wu, D-Houston, said in an Aug. 14 statement. “Facing threats of arrest, lawfare, financial penalties, harassment, and bomb threats, we have stood firm in our fight against a proposed Jim Crow congressional district map.”
Abbott asked the state Supreme Court to remove Wu from office Aug. 5, arguing that the Democratic leader “deliberately fled the state to abandon his official duties indefinitely.” Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton asked the court to vacate the seats of 13 House Democrats, including Wu, on Aug. 8.
On Aug. 11, the Texas Supreme Court asked Abbott and Paxton to file case briefs by Aug. 20, with responses from the Democratic defendants due nine days later. All briefings must be submitted by Sept. 4, the court said, meaning it would not rule on the cases until after that.
As of press time, it was unclear whether House Democrats’ plans to return to Texas would impact Abbott and Paxton’s lawsuits.
