Texas lawmakers started working Tuesday on legislation to address the state’s deadly July 4 floods — despite a Democratic walkout that left the Legislature unable to conduct some of its business.
More than 50 Democratic state House members fled the state Sunday to prevent the Republican-controlled state House of Representatives from passing a bill that would gerrymander the state’s congressional districts in an attempt to give Texas Republicans an even greater advantage. The move left the House without enough members present to pass legislation on the floor.
Despite the stalemate, the Committee on Disaster Preparedness and Flooding started taking testimony on a package of bills intended to address the floods.
“I intend on voting these bills out whether or not the House has a quorum or not,” said state Rep. Ken King (R), one of the co-chairs of the flood committee. “This work is too important to wait on.”
