Texas, GOP and Democrats
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Scripps News on MSNTexas lawmakers ready to vote on maps to give GOP stronger edge in US house
After Democrats spent several weeks delaying a vote, the Texas House is poised to vote on new congressional district that could help Republicans win several Democratic seats.
The House later referred the new version of the bill that includes new congressional maps to the redistricting committee, a procedural move that the House has to follow again because it has started a new legislative session. The House did not take any votes and adjourned until Wednesday.
Texas Republicans on Wednesday will take up a new state congressional map intended to flip five Democratic-held U.S. House seats in next year's midterm elections, after dozens of Democratic lawmakers ended a two-week walkout that had temporarily blocked its passage.
Rep. Nicole Collier’s overnight stay stemmed from Republicans in the Texas House requiring returning Democrats to sign what the Democrats called “permission slips,” agreeing to around-the-clock surveillance by state Department of Public Safety officers to leave the floor. Collier, of Fort Worth, refused and remained on the House floor Monday night.
Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier spent the night in the Austin statehouse and plans to stay there until Wednesday's session after refusing a police escort.
Democratic Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier has now spent over 24 hours on the Texas House floor in protest after refusing a Republican demand to be placed under the watch of the state Department of Public Safety.