Video & Transcript Research : 'quorum-busting'

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TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

State Affairs Sep 3rd, 2025

State Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • making certain expenditures while absent from the state without leave for the purpose of breaking quorum
  • In the past, legislators have used quorum breaks to raise political funds, creating concerns that members
  • This current arrangement creates a financial incentive to break quorum.
  • While Article 3, Section 10 of the Texas Constitution has been interpreted to allow for quorum breaking
  • , and we do not remove or restrict any of that constitutional right for them to break quorum if they
Bills: HB18
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Elections Aug 25th, 2025

Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • A quorum is present.
  • It recognizes that, uh, quorums will happen, and that's why there are provisions to address the quorums
  • This bill has nothing to do with limit somebody's ability to quorum break quorum.
  • Benefiting financially from a quorum break. This bill does not compel a quorum.
  • And breaks quorum.
Bills: HB18
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Quorum is present. Good afternoon.
  • This current arrangement creates a financial incentive to break quorum.
  • Article 3, Section 10 of the Texas Constitution has been interpreted to allow for quorum-breaking.
  • Would it also have the same effect on a quorum?
  • Those funds could not be spent by that quorum-breaking legislator on...
Bills: HB18
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Elections Aug 25th, 2025

Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • A quorum is present.
  • recent quorum break.
  • This bill has nothing to do with... to break quorum. Financially during quorum break.
  • This bill does not compel a quorum.
  • Because you, Democrats, would you, did you say love to break quorum? Love to break quorum.
Bills: HB18
TX

Texas 89th 2nd C.S.

Elections Aug 25th, 2025 at 11:08 am

Elections

Transcript Highlights:
  • It recognizes that quorums will happen, and that's why there are provisions to address quorums, such
  • a right to quorum break, fundraising.
  • Benefiting financially from a quorum break. This bill does not compel a quorum.
  • It was filed specifically because Democrats love to break quorum. Did you say love to break quorum?
  • Love to break quorum.
Bills: HB18
Summary: The meeting of the committee focused on the discussions surrounding HB18, which aims to prevent legislators from financially benefiting when they break quorum. Chairman Shaheen emphasized that this bill addresses the integrity of the Texas legislature and responds to constituent concerns about lawmakers being absent and raising funds simultaneously. Throughout the meeting, members discussed the implications of enforcing penalties for breaking quorum and the balance between legislative strategy and financial transparency. Various representatives expressed their views, with some supporting the bill for enhancing accountability, while others argued that it imposes unfair restrictions on a constitutional tactic historically used by minority factions.
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • There being 95 members present, a quorum is not present.
Bills: HB4, HB1, HB2, HB20, HB19, HB18
Summary: The House convened with a strict roll-call enforcement request, but only 95 members were present, so a quorum was not present. The chamber heard an invocation from Furman Carpenter, DPS chaplain, followed by the pledges to the U.S. and Texas flags. A member raised a parliamentary inquiry asking whether members must be present to make a motion and whether all members who requested strict enforcement were present; the Speaker said he would need to check the journal. The Speaker then announced that the House was about to receive a motion to adjourn sine die and noted that the governor might call another special session soon. Representative Garin moved that the House of Representatives of the First Called Session of the Eighty-Ninth Legislature adjourn sine die. There was no objection, and the motion carried, ending the session.
TX

Texas 89th 1st C.S.

Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select Aug 5th, 2025

Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Transcript Highlights:
  • We have a quorum.
  • Whether or not the House has a quorum or not, this work is too important to wait on, on, on the political
  • This committee will be voting them out, um, in anticipation of a quorum in the Texas House where we can
Bills: HB1, HB 2, HB18, HB19, HB20
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • Here, Senator Schwertner, Senator West, Senator Zaffirini— the quorum is present. Go ahead.
  • Since we have a quorum, we will go ahead. We're going to leave this bill pending for now.
Bills: HB3077, HJR2, HJR7, HJR7
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select Aug 5th, 2025

Disaster Preparedness & Flooding, Select

Transcript Highlights:
  • We have a quorum. Thank you all for joining us today. I'd like to thank Representative Terry M.
  • At this hearing, I intend on voting these bills out, whether or not the House has a quorum.
Bills: HB2, HB1, HB18, HB19, HB20, HB1, HB 2, HB18, HB19, HB20
TX
Transcript Highlights:
  • There being 97 members present, a quorum is not present in the House.
  • Father, we pray we have a quorum soon. Please be with those who are traveling back.
  • Members, while we still do not have a quorum, I want to point out that today's outcome may be a win for
  • When we do establish quorum, these bills will be immediately referred.
  • But those who have refused to make quorum, I'm sure you're missing home.
TX

Texas 89th Regular

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs Mar 19th, 2025

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Transcript Highlights:
  • All right, a quorum is present. Thank you all for being here.
  • We have a quorum, we have six bills we're going to vote on today or we're going to hear six bills today