Donald Trump the Megathread part II - Mod Warning updated in OP 12/2/26

In practice, it's not affecting us. The regular session is over, the Texas legislature meets once every two years, our politicians are generally part-timers with their own businesses to run or full-time jobs to attend (which is another reason why staying outside of the state is of questionable sustainability). Everything the State really needs to accomplish to keep running for the next two years has already been done.

These are the only subjects which may be considered during this special session. As you can see, nothing which will stop the operation of the State if not acted upon.

• Consider and act upon legislation to improve early warning systems and other preparedness infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation to strengthen emergency communications and other response infrastructure in flood-prone areas throughout Texas. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation to provide relief funding for response to and recovery from the storms which began in early July 2025, including local match funding for jurisdictions eligible for FEMA public assistance. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation to evaluate and streamline rules and regulations to speed preparedness for and recovery from natural disasters. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation to eliminate the STAAR test and replace it with effective tools to assess student progress and ensure school district accountability. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation reducing the property tax burden on Texans and legislation imposing spending limits on entities authorized to impose property taxes. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation making it a crime to provide hemp-derived products to children under 21 years of age. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation to comprehensively regulate hemp-derived products, including limiting potency, restricting synthetically modified compounds, and establishing enforcement mechanisms, all without banning a lawful agricultural commodity. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation further protecting unborn children and their mothers from the harm of abortion. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation prohibiting taxpayer-funded lobbying, including the use of tax dollars to hire lobbyists and payment of tax dollars to associations that lobby the Legislature. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1278 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that protects victims of human trafficking from criminal liability for non-violent acts closely tied to their own victimization. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation that protects law enforcement officers from public disclosure of unsubstantiated complaints in personnel files. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation protecting women's privacy in sex-segregated spaces. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation proposing a constitutional amendment allowing the Attorney General to prosecute state election crimes. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation that provides a revised congressional redistricting plan in light of constitutional concerns raised by the U.S. Department of Justice. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 648 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that provides strengthened protections against title theft and deed fraud. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 1253 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, that authorizes political subdivisions to reduce impact fees for builders who include water conservation and efficiency measures. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]
• Consider and act upon legislation, similar to Senate Bill No. 2878 from the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, relating to the operation and administration of the Judicial Department of state government. [Wed Jul 9, 2025]

The next regular session is in a year and a half, I suspect the blockage will be over by then.

The idea of fleeing to prohibit a quroum is not new, and not unique to Texas. Neither is the idea of arresting the lawmakers for refusing to do their jobs. The first effort to do so was in 1870, when a number of State Senators objected to the Militia Bill, enabling the Governor to declare martial law, and also establishing the State Police. They were arrested, and enough dragged back into the senate chamber to form the quorum. The rest were held under arrest for three weeks until the end of the session.