Senate Democrats in Texas exit chamber prior to vote on redistricting legislation
The Texas Legislature is currently in the midst of its second special session, which began on August 15, 2025. The session, called by Governor Greg Abbott, has an expanded agenda of 22 priority items, including flood preparedness and disaster relief, property tax reform, redistricting, and measures related to government transparency and public safety [1][2][3].
The legislative deadlock persists due to the absence of House Democrats, who walked out during the first special session to block controversial measures such as the GOP redistricting map. Governor Abbott has publicly condemned the Democrats for "dereliction of duty," holding them responsible for delaying critical relief funding and other legislation [3][5].
On Tuesday, the Texas Senate held a floor session to pass Gov. Abbott's special session priorities. However, during the session, nine Senate Democrats walked out to protest a GOP-based plan to redraw the state's congressional districts. Despite their absence, the redistricting bill was passed in the Senate with 19-2 votes, with no significant debate [1].
Democratic Sen. Jose Mendez of San Antonio requested the Senate to first take up bills related to the July 4 floods. However, Lubbock Republican Sen. Charles Perry denied Mendez's request [1].
Speaking to the press, Democratic Sen. Royce West of Dallas stated that the Democrats planned their departure strategically. He emphasized that the Democrats are committed to fighting for their constituents' rights and will continue to use every available tool to do so [1].
Given the ongoing quorum break in the House, Gov. Greg Abbott has stated that he will "immediately" call the Texas Legislature back again. Dozens of House Democrats remain out of state during the session [1].
The redistricting effort will remain stalled as long as House Democrats maintain their quorum break. The legislators are likely to remain in Austin due to the ongoing special sessions. Both House Speaker Dustin Burrows and Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick have signaled their plans to adjourn the current special session this Friday [1].
Gov. Abbott has announced his intention to call special sessions repeatedly until the quorum break in the House ends. He also said he will continue to call special sessions until the Texas first agenda is passed [1].
The near-term prospects of the special session depend heavily on whether House Democrats return and agree to proceed. Debates continue around political power plays versus urgent relief needs [1][2][3][5].
References: [1] Texas Tribune. (2025, August 24). Texas Senate passes redistricting bill without Democrats, leaving House in limbo. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/24/texas-senate-redistricting-bill-passes-without-democrats/ [2] The Dallas Morning News. (2025, August 24). Texas Senate passes redistricting bill, setting up showdown with House. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2025/08/24/texas-senate-passes-redistricting-bill-setting-up-showdown-with-house/ [3] The Austin American-Statesman. (2025, August 24). Texas Senate passes redistricting bill with 19-2 vote. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://www.statesman.com/news/20250824/texas-senate-passes-redistricting-bill-with-19-2-vote [4] The Houston Chronicle. (2025, August 24). Texas Senate passes redistricting bill, sending it to House in special session. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://www.houstonchronicle.com/politics/article/Texas-Senate-passes-redistricting-bill-sending-it-17554644.php [5] The Texas Signal. (2025, August 24). Abbott calls Texas Legislature back for third special session as House Democrats remain out of state. Retrieved August 25, 2025, from https://www.texassignal.com/2025/08/24/abbott-calls-texas-legislature-back-for-third-special-session-as-house-democrats-remain-out-of-state/
- The ongoing political battle in the Texas Legislature, particularly the stalemate over redistricting, is a hot topic in the realm of news and policy-and-legislation, with both general-news outlets and local publications extensively covering the developments [1][2][3][4][5].
- The Texas Senate's passage of the redistricting bill without House Democrats present, amidst claims of dereliction of duty and quorum breaks, has ignited a debate over political power plays versus urgent relief needs, further intensifying the tension in the political arena [1][2][3][5].
