Latest news with #specialsession
CBS News
a day ago
- Politics
- CBS News
Texas Democrats threaten walkout over "Trump takeover" as special session begins
With an ambitious agenda before them, Texas lawmakers kicked off the first of what could be several special sessions. "I'll focus on getting everything done in this special session. The one and only special session," joked Rep Brian Stiller. Gov. Greg Abbott has set an agenda of 18 items for the Legislature to tackle over the next 30 days. "We need to get families and communities the care that they need and the recovery dollars. So I think obviously that should be our number one priority," said Rep. Mihaela Plesa, of the need to provide relief to Central Texas flood victims. Democratic party leaders, though, have warned they're willing to walk if conservative issues overshadow the response to the deadly floods. Rep. Gene Wu, chair of the Texas House Democratic Caucus, has said the party is worried the proposed flood relief could be a ruse to get a conservative agenda passed. The governor has also tasked lawmakers with further restricting abortion access, setting limits on women's restrooms, and redrawing Congressional districts. "Gov. Abbott is using this tragedy, using the deaths of hundreds of Texans as the doorway to get what he wants politically," he said. At a press conference in the Capitol, U.S. Representative Greg Casas said the party has a multi-step plan in place to stop what it's calling a "Trump takeover." "We will need to buy time, and that means keeping everything on the table, doing whatever it takes, having on the table filibusters, dragging out hearings, quorum breaks," he said. At least one Democrat is needed in the Senate and 18 in the House to have the required number of members present to do business. Democrats fled the state in 2021 and 2003 to halt legislative action. Wu, though, said the party's waiting to see what Republicans prioritize. "We will see what they do. We will see if they have hearings on flooding first. We will see if they bring that legislation to us first," he said. President Trump himself has requested new Congressional districts just four years after state lawmakers approved the current ones, calling for a map that would help the GOP pick up more seats. "I think certainly we do it every 10 years, but we're entitled to do it anytime that we need," said Rep Stiller, who has been assigned to a House redistricting. He wouldn't say whether his aim on the committee would be to increase Republican representation or address constitutional concerns the Department of Justice has alleged it has with several Texas districts. "I'm just going to keep my powder dry on that and just say, look, we just need to hear the testimony from interested persons, and look at that, and we can make a determination on what, if anything, needs to be done," said Spiller. North Texas Democrats, likewise, aren't getting too specific about their strategy. Asked if she has a bag packed, Plesa said, "I live in North Dallas and work in Austin. I always have a bag packed."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘I am ready, willing and able': House Democrat says he'd break quorum to stop redistricting
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Less than a week before the start of an 18-topic special session, State Rep. Ron Reynolds, D-Missouri City, said he's willing to break quorum to halt a mid-decade redistricting attempt. Reynolds posted an op-ed called 'On Good Trouble Day, I Refuse to Be Silent,' early Thursday afternoon. 'They say everything's bigger in Texas, including the lengths folks will go to hold onto power,' Reynolds wrote. 'President (Donald) Trump recently called for Texas Republicans to deliver five new congressional seats, and they didn't hesitate. Not by earning more support or expanding their base, but by gerrymandering Black and Brown communities to secure an advantage. The message was clear: manipulate the maps, preserve the power, and silence the people.' Earlier this week, President Trump said he's looking for 'just a simple redrawing picking up five seats,' in Texas to shore up a small Republican lead in the U.S. House. Currently, the Republicans have a 220-212 majority with three seats vacant. Reynolds went on to say he's 'ready, willing and able to get into good trouble by breaking quorum when justice is on the line,' the strongest statement on the topic by a Democratic lawmaker so far. What is 'quorum breaking'? The Texas Constitution requires two-thirds attendance (a quorum) for their legislative chambers to conduct business. If they fall short, the chamber has to adjourn until a quorum is present. Currently, Democrats control 62 of the 150 seats in the Texas House and 11 of the 30 Texas Senate seats (one seat is currently absent). While they don't have enough members to prevent lawmakers from passing legislation with unanimous Republican approval, they do have enough members to prevent any legislation from being brought to the floor — as long as they don't show up. Democrats have already broken quorum over voter rights and representation multiple times this century. In 2003, Democrats fled the state multiple times to block a redistricting bill, falling short after months of delays. In 2021, Democrats fled to Washington D.C. to block a bill changing election laws, once again only delaying its inevitable passage. House Democrats see quorum breaking as an effective tool within the legal framework of the Texas Constitution. '(In) a lot of legislative bodies, including the US Congress, a majority makes up a quorum. In Texas, it's two-thirds, and the people who wrote the Constitution back in the 1800s did that for a reason. That's to protect the rights of the political minority,' State Rep. Chris Turner, D-Arlington, said. 'It's a tool that's used sparingly, but it's one of those things that's always on the table.' The downsides to breaking quorum After the 2021 quorum break, the Texas House changed their rules to make it harder for members to fail to report for work. Now, members are fined $500 a day and a responsible for the costs incurred by the sergeant-at-arms to secure their attendance (they can find and forcibly bring members to the floor if they're still located within the state). In addition, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has threatened to arrest Democratic lawmakers who attempt to break quorum. 'I'm not going to comment on conversations that we have internally within the Democratic caucus,' Turner said about a potential quorum break. The House Democratic Caucus confirmed national Democratic leadership has asked them to consider breaking quorum. Republican leadership responds In a statement, Gov. Abbott's Press Secretary Andrew Mahaleris said, 'While partisan activists focus solely on political issues, Governor Abbott is dedicated to delivering results on issues important to Texans, such as flood relief, property tax cuts, and the elimination of the STAAR test. The Governor looks forward to the legislature addressing these topics, along with other critical issues, during this special session.' On July 11, Speaker of the House Dustin Burrows and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick released a joint statement. 'Working with the House, the Texas Senate will move forward on redistricting to pass a legal, constitutional congressional map,' said Lt. Gov. Patrick. 'Texans place their trust in the Legislature to uphold fairness in the redistricting process, and we will continue to work closely together to fulfill this legislative responsibility,' said Speaker Burrows. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
TribCast: Texas' redistricting gamble
Lawmakers return to Austin July 21 for a special session that will feature an extra-special, mid-decade redistricting effort. Will they get it done in 30 days? Will the new maps withstand legal scrutiny? Will this threaten congressional Republicans' seats long-term? Will it appease President Donald Trump, who says he wants five new seats for the GOP in Texas? Matthew and Eleanor dig into all this and more with Kareem Crayton, with the Brennan Center for Justice. Watch the video above, or subscribe to the TribCast on iTunes, Spotify, or RSS. New episodes every Tuesday. Shape the future of Texas at the 15th annual , happening Nov. 13–15 in downtown Austin! We bring together Texas' most inspiring thinkers, leaders and innovators to discuss the issues that matter to you. Get tickets now and join us this November. TribFest 2025 is presented by JPMorganChase.
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Abbott announces redistricting will be included in Texas special session
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) announced on Wednesday that redistricting will be included in a legislative special session slated to take place later this month. The governor said in a release that the session will tackle '[legislation] that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice.' Abbott said last month he would be calling a special session, noting a handful of bills that were either filed without signature or were vetoed that would be under consideration during the special session. However, those items did not initially include redistricting. 'We delivered on historic legislation in the 89th Regular Legislative Session that will benefit Texans for generations to come,' Abbott said in the release Wednesday. 'There is more work to be done, particularly in the aftermath of the devastating floods in the Texas Hill Country. We must ensure better preparation for such events in the future.' His announcement comes after reporting last month that President Trump's political team was pushing for midcycle redistricting. Though Texas is not due to draw new House lines until after the 2030 census, Republicans are looking to defend a narrow 220-212 House majority next year and are contending with the traditional headwinds typically associated with the president's party during midterm cycles. The inclusion of redistricting in Texas' special session drew a strong rebuke from House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) who criticized the governor for his handling of the deadly flooding in Texas, saying further that in a statement that 'Instead of aggressively addressing the failures of his administration, Governor Abbott and shameless extremists are conspiring with Donald Trump and House Republicans to try to rig the election and disenfranchise millions of voters.' Republicans control the state Legislature, governor's office and state Supreme Court, meaning the party will be able to easily overcome any Democratic opposition to redrawing the state's maps. However, it remains unclear how that litigation could play out if it makes its way through the federal court system, particularly as the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Alabama's maps in 2023 for likely violating the Voting Rights Act. Another looming question is whether redistricting the maps could endanger Republicans in nearby districts and make their seats potentially more competitive. Jeffries projected confidence in his statement that the redistricting effort would put several more seats in play for Democrats. 'House Democrats will push back hard against this gerrymandering scheme. We are confident that if it goes through, it will result in making several incumbent House Republicans vulnerable to fierce general election challenges,' he said. Updated at 8:44 p.m. EDT. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Redistricting, flood warning systems on Texas special session agenda
AUSTIN (Nexstar) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott announced a full special session agenda Wednesday, including a rumored mid-decade redistricting of congressional maps and the creation of flood warning systems in response to the deadly and destructive floods that hit Central Texas. The special session begins July 21. Flash flooding claimed more than 100 lives in Central Texas. Here's what we know about the victims Redistricting made headlines in recent weeks as the New York Times reported President Donald Trump was urging Texas Republican congressmen to redraw the state's maps ahead of the 2026 midterms. With a slim majority in the U.S. House, it would only take three flips for Democrats to retake control of the chamber. Redrawing maps to benefit the GOP could offset any losses in other parts of the country, and potentially keep the House for the GOP if the election is close. Republicans already hold 25 out of 38 congressional seats in Texas — a higher percentage of seats than Trump's 2024 vote share. Some Republicans reportedly have worries that redrawing the maps could make their seats more vulnerable if the midterm environment is favorable to Democrats. Any attempt to redraw the maps could provoke a response from Democratic governors, as California is reportedly considering a redraw of its maps should Texas move forward. Congressional maps in the country's two largest Democratic states — California and New York — are drawn by independent commissions, while the two largest Republican states — Texas and Florida — are drawn by legislators. To address flooding, legislation to improve warning systems and emergency communications in flood-prone areas of Texas is one of the first items in Abbott's release announcing the agenda. Flooding over the July 4 weekend killed over 100 people in the Texas Hill Country and surrounding counties. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 160 people remain missing in Kerr County. The release from the governor's office did not go into further detail on the system, and lawmakers such as House Speaker Dustin Burrows have said it is too early to determine any specific legislation. In addition to new warning systems, the special session agenda includes additional funding for flood relief efforts and additional regulation for natural disaster recovery and preparedness. Abbott's agenda includes eliminating the STAAR test and replacing it with alternative assessment tools, along with legislation to reduce property taxes and impose spending limits on entities authorized to levy property taxes. Several agenda items reflect conservative priorities, including legislation to make it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21 and comprehensive regulation of hemp-derived products. Abbott also seeks legislation 'further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion' and measures 'protecting women's privacy in sex-segregated spaces.' The session will consider proposals to ban taxpayer-funded lobbying, including prohibiting the use of tax dollars to hire lobbyists and payments to associations that lobby the Legislature. Abbott also wants to grant the Attorney General constitutional authority to prosecute state election crimes and protect law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unsubstantiated complaints in personnel files. The agenda includes legislation protecting human trafficking victims from criminal liability for non-violent acts tied to their victimization, strengthening protections against title theft and deed fraud, providing water project incentives for conservation measures and addressing judicial department operations. The special session begins at noon on July 21. Unlike regular sessions, special sessions are limited to 30 days and can only consider items specifically placed on the agenda by the governor. The flood response measures represent the most immediate priority, as federal and state officials continue search and recovery operations in the Hill Country and communities work to rebuild infrastructure damaged by the historic flooding. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
