Texas State Representative Nicole Collier (D-Fort Worth) slept at her desk on the floor of the State House after she refused to sign a document that required a police escort to allow her to leave the building. The Texas speaker of the House made any Democrat legislator who wanted to leave the building sign a pass agreeing to be escorted by a Department of Public Safety trooper to ensure their return to the chamber when required.
House Speaker Dustin Burrows (R-Lubbock) issued a requirement that Democrat representatives must sign an agreement to be escorted by a DPS trooper on Monday after the legislators returned from a two-week quorum-breaking hiatus. Collier was the lone Democrat representative to refuse to sign and remained in the House chamber overnight.
Collier left the House nearly two weeks ago with other members of the quorum-busting Democrat Caucus. The move temporarily blocked the passage of the proposed congressional redistricting map that would potentially give Republicans five more seats in the U.S. House. It also blocked other key legislation on the special session called by Governor Greg Abbott, including plans for improving flood warning systems to the Texas Hill Country region devastated by catastrophic flooding on Independence Day.
Texas State Rep. Toni Rose shows her permission slip to leave the House Chamber, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Collier told CBS News she was “forced” to remain in the House chamber. However, it was her choice not to sign the document authorizing the police escort. House officials eventually allowed her to move about the Capitol to go to her office.
“I have a right to resist, I have a right to oppose, just like my voters do, just like Texans have a right to challenge government, and that’s what I’m doing. I’m challenging these decisions that are being made. I don’t agree with them,” Collier told CBS.
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Following the return of the Democrat Caucus, the Texas House met with a quorum and resumed the business of the called second special session. The House Select Committee on Congressional Redistricting met and passed the revised map by a partisan vote of 12-8. A vote is expected on the House floor by Wednesday.
The Texas Senate committee approved a similar map on Sunday. The measure is expected to be debated and voted on by the full Senate later this week.
Bob Price is the Breitbart Texas-Border team’s associate editor and senior news contributor. He is an original member of the Breitbart Texas team. Price is a regular panelist on Fox 26 Houston’s What’s Your Point? Sunday morning talk show. He is a U.S. Air Force veteran and serves as president of Blue Wonder Gun Care Products.
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