AUSTIN, Texas –

The Texas House Administration Committee will meet next month to determine what, if any, penalties will be assessed to Democratic members who broke quorum last year by leaving the state.

According to the committee notice, the hearing will “consider financial penalties for members that were absent from the House during the first and second called sessions.” The meeting is scheduled for April 10.

Why did House Democrats break quorum?

Texas House Democrats who broke quorum in August 2025 while attempting to stop a Republican-led redistricting effort.

Democrats left the state in an attempt to block the redrawn Texas congressional maps that were eventually passed on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2026, in an 88-52 vote.

During the second special session, Gov. Greg Abbott called for legislation to impose penalties or punishments for legislators who willfully absent themselves during a session.

House Bill 64 would not be passed during the session. The House would eventually pass House Resolution 128 which allows for fines, reprimand and loss of appointment to committees for missing sessions.

The resolution raised fines from $500 per missed day to three times the per diem amount set by the Texas Ethics Commission.

The House Administration Committee is chaired by Republican Charlie Geren and has six Republicans and five Democrats, including Democratic U.S. Senate nominee James Talarico.

The Source: Information in this article comes from the Texas Legislature’s committee calendar.