Texas Supreme Court Rejects Bid to Remove Democratic Lawmakers Over Quorum Break

AUSTIN, Texas — The Texas Supreme Court on Friday refused to declare that Democratic lawmakers who briefly left the state in 2025 to block a vote on new congressional maps had vacated their offices. The all-Republican court rejected arguments from the governor that more than 50 Democrats who traveled to New York, Illinois and Massachusetts had abandoned their positions.

State Republicans had sought their arrest and threatened fines to compel their return to the Capitol during a special session. The governor had filed a lawsuit directly with the state's highest civil court arguing that the leader of the House Democratic caucus and others had effectively abandoned their offices.

In its opinion, the court noted that the Republican-majority Legislature had addressed the absence through measures such as fines against the missing lawmakers. The lawmakers returned on their own within two weeks, restoring the quorum without judicial intervention.

"In the end, a quorum was restored in two weeks’ time, without judicial intervention, by the interplay of political and practical forces," the opinion stated. " The opinion added that if the issue arises again and the Legislature cannot compel lawmakers to return, the court may consider whether judicial intervention is appropriate.

The leader of the House Democratic caucus argued in legal briefs that their return demonstrated they had never intended to abandon their offices and that the quorum break was understood to be temporary. The walkout occurred during a special legislative session called to address redistricting.

The state constitution requires at least 100 of the 150 House members to be present to conduct business. The absence prevented action on the maps and other issues.

The 2025 Democratic walkout was the third since 2003. In that earlier case, lawmakers left the state to stop a vote on a redistricting bill. They used the same tactic again in 2021 over an elections bill. In both prior instances the lawmakers eventually returned and the Republican majority in the Legislature passed the measures into law.

In 2021 the court ruled that the Texas Constitution permits quorum breaks but also allows for consequences to compel members to return. The 2025 events drew national attention as the president urged Texas and other Republican-controlled states to redraw congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Similar redistricting efforts occurred in several states.