Local Democrats not among contingent who fled to Washington

THE SENATE MUST ALSO HAVE TWOTHIRDS, OR 21 MEMBERS, PRESENT.{***DBL BOX**}SO WITH THAT IN MIND, LET’SBRING GREG CHANDLER IN ON THECONVERSATION,GREG, EXACTLY HOW MANYLAWMAKERS ARE AT THE STATECAPITOL TODA{***TRIPLASMA**}WELL KATIA..THERE ARE 80 STATE REPS ON THEHOUSE FLOOR... LEAVING THAT BO20 MEMBERS SHORT OF A QUORUM.HOWEVER... 22 SENATORS ARE INTHAT CHAMBER... MEANING THSENATE CAN CONDUCT ITS BUSINESS.SO WHY DID SO MANY DEMOCRATICLAWMAKERS LEAVE TOWN?{***IN DEPTH ANIMATION***TO BLOCK A CONTROVERSIAL VOTINGBILL{***PKG**}CRITICS SAY HOUSE BILL 3 WOUUNFAIRLY RESTRICT VOTING INTEXAS.SO WHAT DOES THE BILL BAN?DRIVE-THRU VOTING...24 HOUR VOTING... DURING THEEARLY VOTING WINDOW.LOCAL ELECTIONS OFFICALS SENDINGUNSOLICITED MAIL IN BALLOTAPPLICATIONS..IT ALSO SETS NEW I-DREQUIREMENTS FOR MAIL INVOTING...AND ESTABLISHES MONTHLYCITIZENSHIP CHECKS OF VOTERROLLS.THE DEMOCRATS WHO LEFT TSTATE... SAY THEY WON’T COMEBACK UNTIL AFTER THE SPECIALSESSION ENDS AUGUS 6TH.AND... THEY WANT CONGRESS TOPASS FEDERAL VOTING LEGISLATION.{***SOT FULL**}TX Rep Chris Turner/Chair, THouse Democratic Caucus: Ourintent is to stay out to killthis bill this session and usethe intervening time, I think 24or 25 days now before the end ofthis session to implore thefolks in this building behind usto pass federal voting rightlegislation to protect voters inTexas and across the country.{***SOT FULL**}TX Rep Rafael Anchia/Chair,Mexican-American LegislativeCaucus: At the outset of thislegislative session, the processwas poisoned.

And it waspoisoned by a governor whodefunded the legislative branchin violation of both our staconstitution, which has veryspecific language aboutseparation of powers and alsowhat has been developed underthe jurisprudence of our U.Sconstitution.OF THE DEMOCRATS WHO LEFT...NONE REPRESENT THE COASTAL BEND.RYAN GUILLEN... WHO REPRESENBRROKS, DUVAL, KENEDY AND LIVEOAK COUNTIES... WAS ONE OF FOURDEMOCRATS ON THE FLOOR TUESDAYABEL HERRERO... WHO REPRESENTSPART OF NUECES COUNTY WAS OUT ONAN "EXCUSED" ABSENCE.AND SENATOR JUAN "CHUYHINOJOSA... WAS ALSO AT THECAPITOL.{***TRIPLASMA**}WE RECEIVED A STATEMENT FROMFROM REPRESENTATIVE HERRERO THISAFTERNOON...ITS SAYS IN PART..{***FULLSCREEN**}"WHILE RESPONSIBILITIES IN TDISTRICT HAVE KEPTME FROM BEING IN AUSTIN, I WILLJOIN OTHER DEMOCRATS TO FIGHAGAINST THIS OPPRESSIVELEGISLATIONUPON RETURNING TO THE TEXACAPITOL.

"IN THE STUDIO... GRECHANDLER... KRIS 6 NEW{***BOXES**}GREG... BEFORE YOU GO.WHAT BUSINESS ARE THEY ABLECONDUCT IN AUSTIN WITHOUTDEMOCRATS THERE?{***TRIPLASMA**}THE HOUSE WAS GAVELLED INTOSESSION THIS MORNING.THE DOORS WERE THEN LOCKED.ANYONE WHO WANTS TO LEAVE THFLOOR HAS TO GET PERMISSION...AND A HALL PASS... FROM SPEAKEPH