House Speaker Dustin Burrows gaveled in the House on Tuesday and again there was no quorum. Only 95 members were present; 100 are needed for a quorum.
The House will convene again on Friday when Gov. Greg Abbott will call a second special legislative session.
On Monday, Burrows said a bill package to provide Hill Country flood relief and reforms was scheduled for a floor vote on Tuesday. The only thing standing in the way of the package passing was absconding Democrats, The Center Square reported.
Because they were absent on Tuesday, Burrows said, “We cannot take up the critical flood response legislation scheduled for a floor vote. [The bill package] would help families, some communities who’ve lost their homes, their businesses, their livelihoods, and in some cases, their loved ones.
“As I stated yesterday, the Department of Public Safety is keeping track of every taxpayer dollar that has been spent in their efforts to compel our colleagues’ attendance. As of today, the amount is well over six figures in overtime. Under Rule 5, Section 3 of the House Rules, those absent members will be responsible for paying all of this back.
“If the devastation of our Hill Country communities, the Texas Constitution and their mounting debt aren’t enough to bring them back today, they should yet again be reminded this is not going away, the work is not going away, and the pressure on them will only grow.”
Because quorum wasn’t reached, Burrows said members could go home to their districts but would need to return Friday, unless five more Democrats showed up to Austin and they were able to make quorum.
If they don’t meet quorum on Friday, the session will end, and the governor will call a second special session, he said.
“We will gavel in for the second session on Friday and reestablish the call of the house;” civil arrest warrants for absconding Democrats will still be valid.
He warned missing Democrats, saying, “to all absent members, the second session is coming. It is time to get home and take your seats. In the meantime, DPS will continue to knock on doors, sit outside homes, and track every lead until we fill these chairs.”
He also said he spoke to Gov. Greg Abbott, who said, “he’s committed to calling a special session again, and again, and again, until our work is done.”
Both the Texas House and Senate will sine die on Friday, August 15, 2025, ending the first special session if a quorum in the House is not reached.
In response, Gov. Abbott said, “With the Texas House and Senate today announcing they are prepared to sine die on Friday, I will call the Texas Legislature back immediately for Special Session #2. The Special Session #2 agenda will have the exact same agenda, with the potential to add more items critical to Texans. There will be no reprieve for the derelict Democrats who fled the state and abandoned their duty to the people who elected them. I will continue to call special session after special session until we get this Texas first agenda passed.”
