Texas House Democrat Nicole Collier spent the night at the state's Capitol, which she live streamed, after refusing to sign a pledge that she would return for a vote on redistricting. Her protest came after House Speaker Dustin Burrows announced that the Texas Democrats would not be allowed to leave the chambers until they signed a document promising to show up the following morning and that they would be forced to have police escorts back and forth.

Rep. Nicole Collier has been in the House for more than 10 hours Monday after she has refused to have a Texas state law enforcement officer shadow her if

AUSTIN, Texas - Four protesters were arrested after refusing to leave the Texas Capitol grounds Monday night. According to Texas DPS, on August 18, the Texas State Senate adjourned at 10 p.m. and all visitors were told the Texas Capitol building would be closing at 10:30 p.m.

The situation is an opportunity for the speaker to bolster his credibility with the right, but he has limited tools to combat a prolonged Democratic absence.

After two weeks fleeing the state, many Texas House Democrats returned, and a quorum was reached on Monday. More than two dozen Democrats still didn’t show up and civil arrest warrants remain in effect.

Burrows worked as an attorney before he was first elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 2014, taking the seat from current Republican Senator Charles Perry of Lubbock.

AUSTIN — Texas House lawmakers elected Republican Rep. Dustin Burrows as speaker Tuesday, shortly after the Legislature’s 89th regular session began.

Other Democratic lawmakers have joined a colleague in staying at the Texas Capitol rather than accept around-the-clock police escorts meant to prevent them from blocking a vote on a Republican plan fo