After Democrats returned to the Texas statehouse, Republican leadership assigned law enforcement officers to monitor them to prevent further delays to their plan to redraw congressional voting districts to favor Republicans ahead of the election.

A Democratic state lawmaker who fled Texas in protest of a GOP redistricting effort is asking a court to let her exit the Capitol, after she was told she needs a police escort to leave the building.

I’m just as stubborn as they are,” said state Rep. Nicole Collier about her refusal to allow 24/7 police surveillance.

“Way to go Rep Collier!” Rep. Marc Veasey, a Fort Worth Democrat, said in a post on X. “Don’t sign the slip! This is why we need to keep Voting Rights Act! Making someone sign a permission slip is way too antebellum!!! This is ridiculous! And, it’s so natural for them (GOP) to behave this way! It’s systemic in their every day actions!”

Nicole Collier spent two nights inside the Texas Capitol after she was barred from leaving the building over her refusal to agree to 24-hour police surveillance.