Governor Abbott Threatens to Remove Absent Texas House Democrats and Fill Vacant Seats

Texas Governor Greg Abbott issued a stern warning to Democratic members of the state House, stating that they must return to the Capitol by 3 p.m. on Monday or face the loss of their legislative offices. He indicated plans to utilize constitutional authority to remove absent legislators and fill their vacant seats. In a Sunday evening statement, Abbott emphasized the importance of attendance, asserting, "This truancy must end now. The absent Democrat House members are required to return to Texas and be present when the House reconvenes at 3:00 PM on Monday, August 4, 2025." He referenced Texas Attorney General Opinion No. KP-0382, which supports the legal basis for removing legislators who abandon their duties. The governor explained that the opinion considers whether a legislator's intentional absence constitutes a vacancy, which would be determined by court proceedings. Abbott stated that through a legal process known as quo warranto, the courts could declare a legislator has vacated their seat due to abandonment, enabling the governor to appoint replacements. The Democratic lawmakers fled the state Sunday afternoon, traveling to Illinois in an effort to block legislative proc...