Texas Democrat remains locked in House chamber after refusing GOP law enforcement escort

[MayReasonRule]

Last edited Tue Aug 19, 2025, 12:28 PM - Edit history (3)

Nicole Collier rejects Speaker Dustin Burrows’ pledge to return for Wednesday morning vote on Republican push to redraw state’s electoral map

Texas Constitution, Article III:

Sec. 14. PRIVILEGE FROM ARREST DURING LEGISLATIVE SESSION

Senators and Representatives shall, except in cases of treason, felony, or breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during the session of the Legislature, and in going to and returning from the same.

— Dave Ferguson (@daveferguson.bsky.social) 2025-08-18T21:51:57.080Z

After a fortnight of Republican fury in which House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued civil arrest warrants, the runaways finally returned to their posts, only to find that Burrows expected them to sign a statement committing themselves to returning for the scheduled vote at 10 am on Wednesday – and be accompanied by individual law enforcement escorts in the interim.

The speaker’s ultimatum meant the rebel Democrats would not be able to leave the chamber without risking arrest unless they put pen to paper.

Collier, who represents Fort Worth, flatly refused to comply with what her side mockingly characterized as a “permission slip” or “hall pass” system that effectively rendered their liberty conditional.

“I refuse to sign,” she told Fox News’s Austin affiliate. “I will not agree to be in [Department of Public Safety] custody. I’m not a criminal. I am exercising my right to resist and oppose the decisions of our government. So this is my form of protest.”

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/nicole-collier-protest-texas-democrats-b2810142.html

Texas State Rep. Nicole Collier spent the night on the House floor after refusing to agree ‘to round-the-clock monitoring by state troopers’ www.keranews.org/texas-news/2...

— Phil Lewis (@phillewis.bsky.social) 2025-08-19T12:26:37.343Z

Daily Kos Coverage

"Texas Republicans imprison Democratic lawmaker in the State House. UPDATED w/Interview and call info"

[DemMedic]

1. Unlawful imprisonment?

Right?

[MayReasonRule]

4. I Do Not Know...

[ancianita]

10. This is a clear violation of the 4th & 5th amendments rights. Forcing her signing on to an

agreement to give up her constitutional rights is also an assault on an elected member of the TX legislature.

The ACLU or other legal org should make a federal case out of this.

[LeftInTX]

16. Almost every state has this.

It's "forced participation" for quorum breakers of the Texas legislature. She is not being punished as a private citizen. There are no criminal charges. It's just that members can be forced to participate by law enforcement.

[ancianita]

22. They are within their rights to refuse to be present in a scheduled vote to remove fair voter representation in TX.

Generally, legislators are not legally forced to be monitored by police in the sense of constant, pervasive surveillance. Legislators are generally protected by legislative immunity for actions taken within the scope of legitimate legislative activity.

Any law that allows "forced participation" in passing ANY bill legislators deem deleterious to Texans is illegal and contrary to the 4th and 9th Amendments.

[FBaggins]

23. They are not

You can’t have a right to refuse to be present if the constitution explicitly says that they can grab you and drag you back and force you to be present.

She is on much firmer ground when she questions whether they have such a power when she arguably isn’t absent… but “I have a right to refuse to be present” is a nonstarter. No such right exists.

[ancianita]

24. You're right. I stand corrected. However, she & the rest are within their rights to refuse signing permission

to be surveilled 24/7.

[FBaggins]

25. You are correct on that

I also like the idea of a lawsuit. I don’t think that she can win, but there’s a legitimate question in there and it’s a good visual

[LeftInTX]

29. I found out they have to pay for the guards. They should file suit against that.

If they signed a written agreement that they wouldn't leave (I doubt if it was offered, but it should have been offered), the state should pay for the guards.

Since this probably wasn't offered, they should not have to pay for the guards! Their presence implies that they are going to stay.

[LeftInTX]

26. It's civil law, not criminal law.

She didn't break any laws, she broke quorum, which is a violation of "rules", which is a civil law. So, everyone who broke quorum is under "assigned surveillance" to assure that they don't leave the state.

She refused, so she is locked in the capitol. It isn't imprisonment. It's a bit like a house arrest or in school suspension. She can use the restroom, go to her office etc. She can have people bring her food. She can go to the cafeteria and the members lounge etc. I don't know if any of the offices have showers. The guards are there to assure that she doesn't leave the capitol. If she uses the restroom, the guards stand outside the restroom etc. I'm pretty sure if she goes to her office, they stand outside her office.

Since the bill is on the House floor today, I think the quorum breakers might be released from surveillance after the bill passes the House. But who knows, there are a few contentious bills in the works. My hunch is, since they broke quorum for HB4 and HB4 passed, there is no longer a need for the guards. They can also argue that the guards served their purpose, but I'm not sure.

The guards are mostly "for show". The state is within their rights to assign the guards, but the optics has not been good for the state. The state is not obligated to assign guards, but it's their right.

The optics has not been good.

There were a few who broke quorum who were known to be hiding in Texas during the first session, but they were not hauled in because they were "old ladies in their 80's". They knew it would not be a good look.

[ancianita]

27. Clarifying, thanks.

I'm supposing Democrats across red states are faced with this situation, as well, even if their rules might be different.

[LeftInTX]

28. Oregon was gonna do this to the GOP. Instead the GOP was "fired"

Oregon high court says 10 GOP state senators who staged long walkout can’t run for reelection

https://apnews.com/article/oregon-republican-walkout-reelection-f1d270db9e9a72935c13b973d79a4bb7


I think having assigned guards is better than being fired. It's much better than losing a good representative.

[paleotn]

5. Yes, but good luck pressing that in Tejas.

[NotHardly]

9. and kidnapping... both felonies

[Festivito]

11. Am I free to go? Are you detaining me in defiance of my civil rights?

You have the right to remain silent. However, your actions may speak against you despite your verbal silence.

Are you involved in a conspiracy to commit civil rights denial?
Are you paid to commit this denial of rights?
Do you trust your freedom and wealth to the person who ordered you to do this?

Am I free to go?

Your continued denial of rights asserts that you are aware and complicit despite not answering verbally.

Am I free to go?

Then call to have the officer arrested by another officer.
After multiple officers refuse, the plea bargain will be that charges are dropped and all the punishments will be put upon the person or persons who ordered them to do the criminal acts.

Maybe in a free country.

[LeftInTX]

15. No. Most states allow state police to arrest members that participate quorum breaks.

This is a civil arrest and there are no criminal charges. However, they are being forced to participate.

When they left the state, they could not be arrested.

[MaineBlueBear]

2. Is she the only Democratic lawmaker in Texas with a spine?

[LeftInTX]

21. Eight more tore up their permission slips today and will spend the night in the Capitol.

Good trouble!

[Gimpyknee]

3. Good for her!

She should take a dump on Speakers chair.

[MayReasonRule]

7. I Said The Same Thing When Discussing The Matter With My Wife

Ordinarily she’d be offended by such a suggestion.

Ordinarily…

She concurred on this occasion.

[RSH]

6. It might be.......

A federal violation of her civil rights.

[WhiskeyGrinder]

8. Why did the others sign and leave her?

[LeftInTX]

17. Several of the others tore up their agreements today! I just saw it on the local news.

Let the action begin!

The GOP knew that confining house members would be bad optics for them.

Texas House Democrats "rips the slip" in solidarity with state Rep. Nicole Collier
Eight Democrats publicly ripped up the "permission slips" they signed in order to leave the House Chamber following their two-week walkout over the maps.

They will then join state Rep. Collier on the House floor overnight ahead of the vote Wednesday.
https://www.fox7austin.com/news/texas-house-democrats-permission-slip-nicole-collier-redistricting

Good trouble!!

[markpkessinger]

18. I'm assuming the Republicans kept a copy of any agreement or "permission slip" they signed . . .

. . . so ripping their own copy up after the fact is meaningless.

[LeftInTX]

19. But they are now refusing to allow guards to follow them everywhere. I think that is their right.

They had a choice: Be free to roam and have a guard or refuse a guard and stay locked up in the Capitol.

Either way, if they chose to stay locked in the Capitol with Nicole, there is nothing stopping them!

[Bettie]

12. So, she is a prisoner

or a hostage.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. 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.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

20. Rep Collier has filed a habeas petition, challenging the House's requirement that members who returned from their quorum

Link to tweet

Here is a link to the filing
https://www.courthousenews.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/texas-democrat-collier-habeas-corpus-petition.pdf