Texas Democratic Legislator To Stay In State Capitol After Refusing Law Enforcement Escort To Leave

First, Texas House Democrats refused to meet successful their legislative enclosure successful an enactment of resistance. Now, 1 of them won't leave.

State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth connected Monday said she will stay locked successful nan Austin statehouse enclosure until nan House reconvenes connected Wednesday morning.

She is making nan move aft she refused conditions group by Republican leaders that would person required her to motion disconnected connected a rule enforcement escort earlier being allowed to spell location aft Monday's session.

It's different melodramatic move successful nan two-week saga involving Texas authorities House Democrats who fled to different states earlier this month, pinch astir of them taking refuge successful Illinois. The scheme denied a quorum for Republicans to move guardant during a typical legislative convention pinch a redraw of Texas' legislature map, an enactment aimed astatine padding nan GOP's U.S. House majority.

“I garbage to motion distant my dignity arsenic a duly elected typical conscionable truthful Republicans tin power my movements and show maine pinch constabulary escorts," Collier said successful a connection that called her a "political prisoner" for refusing Republican "surveillance protocol."

Texas authorities Rep. Nicole Collier successful nan Rayburn House Office Building successful Washington, D.C., connected July 29, 2021. Rod Lamkey / CNP / Sipa USA via Reuters file

Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows connected Monday said that nan Democrats who had apprehension warrants issued against them could not time off nan enclosure unless they agreed to circumstantial conditions.

“Members who person not been coming until today, for whom apprehension warrants were issued, will beryllium granted written support to time off only aft agreeing to beryllium released into nan custody of a designated [Department of Public Safety] serviceman assignment nether nan rules of nan house,” he said, adding that nan officers would “ensure your return Wednesday astatine 10 a.m.”

“For those still absent, civilian apprehension warrants stay successful force,” Burrows added.

Collier is simply a seven-term Democratic lawmaker and erstwhile chair of nan Texas Legislative Black Caucus who besides represents a majority-minority district. Democrats person charged that nan redrawn legislature maps would tear up those districts, stripping those voters of their voices.

"When I property that fastener to vote, I cognize these maps will harm my constituents — I won’t conscionable spell on softly pinch their intimidation aliases their discrimination,” she added successful nan statement.

“My constituents sent maine to Austin to protect their voices and rights," she said.

A Burrows spokesperson could not instantly beryllium reached for comment.