The Texas Supreme Court has ruled that Democrats in the Texas House who have refused to attend the special session of the Texas Legislature can be arrested and taken to Austin to go back to work.
Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan had issued a warrant for their arrest, but it was temporarily blocked by a judge in Austin. The Texas Supreme Court ruled that the lower court abused its discretion and ordered it to rescind its temporary restraining order.
Dozens of House Democrats have spent the past several weeks in Washington, D.C. to block the Texas House from obtaining a quorum. Their goal is to block a vote in the House on an elections bill that would set up new regulations on mail-in ballots and provide greater access to polling locations for some poll watchers.
The Texas Supreme Court's ruling means that Democrats who have returned to Texas could face arrest.
Many of them are still in Washington, D.C., where Texas authorities do not have the authority to detain them.
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