UPDATE UPDATE: Sleep-Over in the Texas House, Y'ALL - Live Stream Ended

[blogslug]

Last edited Tue Aug 19, 2025, 01:40 AM - Edit history (2)

UPDATE UPDATE: The live stream ended about a half hour ago. They streamed for a little over 3 hours. I hope they do it again.

UPDATE: Rep Collier's fellow Democratic House members are with her while she's locked up in the Capitol and they're LIVE-STREAMING it!

ORIGINAL POST: https://www.nbcnews.com/news/amp/rcna225730

Texas Democratic legislator to stay in state capitol after refusing law enforcement escort to leave

First, Texas House Democrats refused to meet in their legislative chamber in an act of resistance. Now, one of them won't leave.

State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth on Monday said she will remain locked in the Austin statehouse chamber until the House reconvenes on Wednesday morning.

She is making the move after she refused conditions set by Republican leaders that would have required her to sign off on a law enforcement escort before being allowed to go home after Monday's session.

It's another dramatic turn in the two-week saga involving Texas state House Democrats who fled to other states earlier this month, with most of them taking refuge in Illinois. The plan denied a quorum for Republicans to move forward during a special legislative session with a redraw of Texas' congressional map, an act aimed at padding the GOP's U.S. House majority.

“I refuse to sign away my dignity as a duly elected representative just so Republicans can control my movements and monitor me with police escorts," Collier said in a statement that called her a "political prisoner" for refusing Republican "surveillance protocol."

[Cha]

1. TY & State Rep. Nicole Collier of Fort Worth

Kick

[SouthBayDem]

2. non amp link

https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/texas-democratic-legislator-stay-state-capitol-refusing-law-enforcemen-rcna225730

[UTUSN]

3. K&R

[Karasu]

5. Everyone needs to watch this.

[SunSeeker]

4. I hope she has lawyers moving for an injunction against that insane surveillance requirement.

It violates the 1st, 4th and 14th Amendments.

[blogslug]

6. kick

Read the updated OP.

[blogslug]

7. kick for another update

stream ended.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

8. Texas Democrat Sues After Republicans Lock Her In Capitol

Collier is a very strong attorney with a great reputation. This will be a fun lawsuit to watch

https://www.huffpost.com/entry/nicole-collier-texas-redistricting-lawsuit_n_68a4bb2fe4b028ce77545b20

Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier filed a writ of habeas corpus on Tuesday in the district court of Travis County, Texas, claiming the state legislature’s Republican majority has unlawfully detained her in the state Capitol after she refused to consent to 24-hour police surveillance.

Collier, a Democrat representing Fort Worth, is one of over 50 Texas Democratic legislators who fled the state on Aug. 3 to block Republicans from enacting a new congressional map at President Donald Trump’s urging to create five new GOP seats ahead of the 2026 midterm elections.

Most of the Democrats who fled the state returned Monday and quickly faced retaliation from Republicans. Texas House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican, required each Democratic legislator to sign a permission slip agreeing to have a 24-hour police escort to ensure they attended votes regarding the new map. The House is scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday. Collier refused to sign the slip and was subsequently locked on the House floor with armed guards keeping her there.

“Representative Collier has been informed that she is not free to leave the Capitol,” the lawsuit states. “Chairman of the Committee on House Administration Charlie Geren informed Representative Collier, ‘If you leave the Capitol you are subject to arrest.’”

Collier’s suit argues this is effectively an illegal confinement. Burrows “does not have the power to compel any Texas citizen or any elected official into preemptive custody,” her suit argues.