Democratic Texas lawmaker spent night on state House floor after refusing GOP demand for law enforcement escort

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: CNN Politics

Updated Aug 19, 2025, 7:43 AM ET
PUBLISHED Aug 19, 2025, 12:53 AM ET


Democratic Texas state Rep. Nicole Collier spent the night 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. When Texas House Democrats returned to the Capitol in Austin on Monday, after having fled the state earlier this month in order to prevent a vote on a controversial Republican redistricting plan, House Speaker Dustin Burrows put constraints on their movements.

Burrows announced that the Democrats could only leave the House floor if they received written permission and agreed to be under law enforcement escort until the chamber reconvenes on Wednesday morning. The Democrats who skipped out on previous attempts to meet quorum for a special session to approve the redrawn congressional maps will have an around-the-clock DPS escort to ensure their presence when the House convenes Wednesday, a legislative aide told CNN.

Democrats had fled to blue states — including Illinois, New York and Massachusetts — as they faced civil arrest warrants pushed by GOP officials in Texas to force them back into the House chamber. The majority of the Democrats complied with the law enforcement escort, showing reporters what they called “permission slips” they received to leave the House floor and pointing to the officers escorting them around the Capitol. But Collier refused to enter into that agreement and has been confined to the House floor since returning.

She can only leave the floor to return to her office under the watch of a law enforcement officer, an aide said, and cannot leave the state Capitol unless she agrees to outside supervision. State Reps. Gene Wu and Vince Perez plan to stay on the House floor with her overnight, the aide said. Wu posted a photo on X detailing some of their snacks for the long stretch ahead - dried peaches, freeze dried grapes, popcorn and ramen. “My constituents sent me to Austin to protect their voices and rights,” said Collier. “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. My community is majority-minority, and they expect me to stand up for their representation.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/2025/08/19/politics/nicole-collier-confined-texas-state-capitol-house-redistricting

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Gene Wu
@GeneforTexas
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Thank you for all who are watching the @TexasHDC livestream. @NicoleCollier95 & I have snacks!

For those asking, the livestream does not have audio. #txlege
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Texas House Democrats
@TexasHDC
BREAKING: Republicans DETAIN Texas Rep. Nicole Collier - Live from the TX Capitol https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1LyxBXekwooGN
11:16 PM · Aug 18, 2025

[Lovie777]

1. Latinos are turning on the GQP..................

the redistricting on the 5 seats have major consequences that may not favor the shithole party.

[sunflowerseed]

2. bullying! Haven't they sued yet?? F hot wheels!

[ms liberty]

3. Can she take the floor and speak? If so, she could take advantage of that

Like Jeff Jackson (NC) did that time when he slogged thru the snow and was the only legislator to come to work that day. It was a blast and got him a lot of positive attention.
Charlotte Observer https://share.google/Qvw58m3yiZ7y5aAkt

[cstanleytech]

4. They're going to try redistricting and don't want the Democrats to leave and they're illegal holding them captive.

[Ferrets are Cool]

5. Is it a dictatorship yet?

[Bayard]

6. Doing a quick google

It looks like she's still there. I hope someone brought her breakfast.

She is a political prisoner.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. 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]

8. 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