Fact Check: Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier slept in House chamber after refusing GOP-mandated permission slip to leave
In August 2025, Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier, D-Fort Worth, slept overnight in the state House chamber because Republicans mandated that no Democratic lawmakers could not leave without a "permission slip" and a police escort, conditions she refused to accept.
Rating:
Context:
Under pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump, Texas Republicans announced they would redraw the state's U.S. congressional district maps mid-decade. The new maps projected that Republicans would gain five seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. Democratic lawmakers protested the redistricting by leaving the state and preventing the quorum needed for a legislative vote on the redistricting. When the Democrats returned, Republicans mandated they not be allowed to leave the House chamber without a "permission slip" and a police escort, ostensibly to prevent them from leaving the state again.
On Aug. 18, 2025, posts appeared on social media platforms, including Facebook, Reddit and X, claiming that Texas Republicans in the state House of Representatives had locked state Rep. Nicole Collier, a Democrat from Fort Worth, in the House chamber overnight, refusing to allow her to leave until she signed a "permission slip" and agreed to a police escort.
Snopes readers wrote in and searched the site for more information about the incident.
The claim is true. It was reported in several reliable publications, including The Texas Tribune, CBS News and NBC News. Collier posted to her X account on Aug. 19 showing her sleeping in the House.
Collier's decision to remain in the House chamber rather than accept the Republicans' conditions was the latest development in a long chain of events that began in June 2025 when The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump was pushing the state of Texas to redraw its federal congressional districts mid-decade in order to preserve the thin Republican majority in the U.S. House of Representatives. District maps are generally drawn every decade following the census. Redrawing them mid-decade without being ordered to do so by a court is rare, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Research Service.
Texas is one of 26 states where the state legislators have the power to draw the maps. State Republicans, who control a majority in both legislative houses, agreed to redistrict, and submitted a congressional map that would likely turn five Democratic seats into Republican seats.
State Democrats (and many Texans) protested the move. However, the Democratic Party hasn't held a majority in Texas since 2002, giving them very little power in the legislature to stop the redistricting proposal. According to The Texas Tribune, however, there is one option that both political parties in the state have used to delay legislation since as early as 1870 — denying a quorum.
In order for a legislature to vote on a measure, a certain number of representatives must be present. This number is called a quorum. Without the politicians, no votes. So, state Democrats left Texas to block the redistricting bill's passage.
Republican officials retaliated by issuing civil arrest warrants for the missing Democrats, although the move was largely symbolic because the warrants applied only within state lines. They also "moved to extradite absent members from Illinois, launched investigations and sought to declare at least one Democrat's seat vacant," according to The Texas Tribune.
The missing Democrats returned to Texas following California Gov. Gavin Newsom's announcement of a ballot initiative that would let that state redraw its own congressional districts to counteract the Texas redistricting. State House Speaker Dustin Burrows said Democrats would be given a permission slip that allowed them to leave the House on the condition that they were given an "around-the-clock escort" by Texas state troopers to ensure they did not attempt to break the legislative quorum again.
Collier refused the police escort, meaning she would not be allowed to leave the state House until the next day when the body reconvened. "I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts," Collier said in a statement to The Texas Tribune. "When I press that button to vote, I know these maps will harm my constituents — I won't just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination."
Astudillo, By Carla. "Texas Republicans' Redistricting Map: How the GOP Could Increase Its Stronghold." The Texas Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-redistricting-maps-charts-analysis/.
Betts, By Hayden. "Denying Quorum Has Been a Texas Political Strategy since 1870." The Texas Tribune, 3 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/03/texas-quorum-breaks-history/.
Davisson, Matthew, and Jack Fink. Texas Democrat Says She's Locked inside State Capitol after Refusing Mandatory DPS Escort - CBS Texas. 19 Aug. 2025, https://www.cbsnews.com/texas/news/texas-democrat-nicole-collier-locked-inside-house-chamber-returning-texas-capitol/.
Eckman, Sarah J., and Whitaker L. Paige. Mid-Decade Congressional Redistricting: Key Issues. In Focus, IF13082, Congressional Research Service, https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/IF13082.
"Fort Worth Rep. Nicole Collier Refuses to Leave Texas House, Protesting State Trooper Escorts." KERA News, 19 Aug. 2025, https://www.keranews.org/texas-news/2025-08-19/fort-worth-rep-nicole-collier-refuses-to-leave-texas-house-protesting-state-trooper-escorts.
Goodman, J. David, and Shane Goldmacher. "White House Pushes Texas to Redistrict, Hoping to Blunt Democratic Gains." The New York Times, 9 Jun. 2025, https://www.nytimes.com/2025/06/09/us/politics/trump-texas-redistricting.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare.
Governor Abbott Orders Texas Department Of Public Safety To Arrest Delinquent House Democrats. https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-orders-texas-department-of-public-safety-to-arrest-delinquent-house-democrats. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
Guo, By Kayla. "Rep. Nicole Collier Spends Night on Texas House Floor after Refusing Police Escort." The Texas Tribune, 19 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/19/nicole-collier-texas-house-dps-escort-redistricting-quorum/.
---. "Texas House Democrats Return to Capitol, Ending Walkout over Redistricting Plan." The Texas Tribune, 18 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/18/texas-democrats-return-redistricting-map-illinois/.
Izzo, Jack. "This Democratic US House District in Texas Is Real, but It Was Drawn by Republicans." Snopes, 8 Aug. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/texas-35-democrat-stolen-house-seat/.
Klibanoff, By Eleanor. "Texas House Issues Arrest Warrants for Democrats Who Left State to Block Congressional Redistricting." The Texas Tribune, 4 Aug. 2025, https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/04/texas-democrats-house-warrants-arrest-quorum-break/.
Koseff, Alexei. "5 Things to Know about Gavin Newsom's Plan to Redraw California's Election Maps." CalMatters, 18 Aug. 2025. calmatters.org, https://calmatters.org/politics/2025/08/california-redistricting-things-to-know/.
Lewis, Daniel. 'We've Had Enough': Texas Democrat Who Slept on State House Floor Speaks out | CNN Politics. 2025. www.cnn.com, https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/19/politics/video/texas-democrat-nicole-collier-sleeps-texas-house-floor-redistricting-digvid.
"National Overview." All About Redistricting, https://redistricting.lls.edu/national-overview/. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
"Party Control of Texas State Government." Ballotpedia, https://ballotpedia.org/Party_control_of_Texas_state_government. Accessed 19 Aug. 2025.
"Texas Democratic Legislator Is Sleeping in the State Capitol after Refusing Security Escort to Leave." NBC News, 19 Aug. 2025, https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-democratic-legislator-stay-state-capitol-refusing-law-enforcemen-rcna225730.
Tracy, Matt. "Over 300 Protests Held Saturday against Trump Redistricting Push." Reuters, 17 Aug. 2025. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/world/us/over-300-protests-held-saturday-against-trump-redistricting-push-2025-08-17/.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Obama backs California effort to redraw districts in response to Texas
Former President Barack Obama is supporting California's mid-cycle redistricting effort as a 'responsible approach' to Republicans drawing new maps in Texas. Obama praised California Gov. Gavin Newsom's ballot measure proposal to redraw congressional districts and tilt at least five congressional districts in the state towards Democrats at a fundraiser on Tuesday for the National Democratic Redistricting Committee. 'I believe that Governor Newsom's approach is a responsible approach,' he said, according to excerpts obtained by POLITICO. 'I think that approach is a smart, measured approach, designed to address a very particular problem in a very particular moment in time.' California Democrats are expected this week to allow voters to bypass an independent commission established by voters and decide whether to approve the new partisan maps for the next three election cycles in response to the Republican's move in Texas. Obama's remarks comes as both parties in California gear up for what is expected to be a hard-fought campaign over the ballot initiative to redraw political boundaries in the state in response to President Donald Trump's efforts to keep the House in Republican hands in the 2026 midterms. The former president said redrawing the lines is 'not my preference,' but that the Democratic-led effort in California is 'responsible' in this context. 'We cannot unilaterally allow one of the two major parties to rig the game,' he said. 'And California is one of the states that has the capacity to offset a large state like Texas.' The Associated Press first reported Obama's remarks. Obama said he hopes that the NDRC and national Democrats will work to eliminate partisan gerrymandering as a 'long-term goal,' but applauded Newsom's response to the new Texas maps and Trump's broader campaign to push other red states to draw new, more favorable maps. 'Given that Texas is taking direction from a partisan White House that is effectively saying: gerrymander for partisan purposes so we can maintain the House despite our unpopular policies, redistrict right in the middle of a decade between censuses — which is not how the system was designed; I have tremendous respect for how Governor Newsom has approached this,' he said. Newsom thanked Obama for his support in a social media post and promised that California's redistricting proposal will 'neutralize any attempts Donald Trump makes to steal Congressional seats.'
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Speaker Sellout? Harrison Torches Burrows For Democrat Deals
A Republican lawmaker is accusing Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows of cutting deals with Democrats and rewarding them with priority legislation after they returned from an intentional quorum break that stalled the special legislative session. In an interview with The Dallas Express, Rep. Brian Harrison claimed Burrows had continued his 'tradition of servicing the Democrats,' citing the advancement of House Bill 10, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Senfronia Thompson. The bill, introduced August 15 and referred to committee August 18, would create an affirmative defense for individuals facing prostitution charges under certain circumstances. 'You would have to be an idiot to watch what's happening and not understand that the Speaker is continuing his tradition of servicing the Democrats,' Harrison said. 'The Democrats are his constituency.' Harrison alleged that Burrows had released Democrats during a critical floor session on July 30, allowing them to meet with U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, and accused him of relying on Democratic support since his election as Speaker. 'He assisted the Democrats with the quorum break,' Harrison remarked. 'The quorum break happened with the full assistance of Speaker Burrows,' said Harrison. Harrison also pointed to Hugh Brady, the Texas House's parliamentary counsel, who previously worked in the Obama White House, as evidence that Democratic influence was guiding the Speaker's decisions. 'The top official advising the so-called Republican Speaker in the Texas House is a former Obama White House lawyer,' Harrison said. On August 18, Harrison aired his criticism on social media: The quorum break by more than 50 House Democrats earlier this month blocked Republicans from advancing a redistricting plan that could have added five new GOP-leaning districts in Texas. Some Republicans, including Rep. Briscoe Cain, had urged the party to seize national redistricting opportunities, but Harrison argued Burrows had surrendered on the issue. 'The maps only have five seats. Why the hell don't they have at least seven or eight? This is total capitulation,' Harrison said. 'They won. We lost. It's that simple.' Harrison further dismissed Republican leadership's claims of action on property tax relief, calling Senate Bill 10 a 'sham' that would not reduce taxes. 'Texans are being hosed by their elected leaders. They're being lied to. They're being deceived,' Harrison said. The first special session ended on August 19. Governor Greg Abbott has called for another special legislative session to address redistricting again. The Dallas Express reached out to Burrows but did not receive a response.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Governor Gavin Newsom uses Trump's own posts to mock him
Democrats are praising California Governor Gavin Newsom's new strategy to counter Donald Trump by using the president's own social media posts to mock him. Democratic strategist Basil Smikle, former White House Deputy Director of Platforms under President Biden Megan Coyne, Politico Senior National Politics Correspondent Adam Wren and Staff Writer at The Atlantic Charlie Warzel join Katy Tur to break down why the online jabs might be resonating with voters.
