In a bold move to compel absent lawmakers back to the Capitol, the Texas House has suspended direct deposit payments for Democratic members who fled the state. Their salaries will remain on hold until they return in person.
Adding to the pressure, each missing lawmaker is being fined $500 for every day they remain away, causing penalties to build rapidly and tensions to escalate in Austin.
Texas officials have withheld pay and imposed fines on Democrats who walked out to block voting bills, sparking national debate. Republicans call it accountability; Democrats call it retaliation for defending voting rights. Legal experts warn the unprecedented move could face court challenges and deepen the state’s growing political divide.
