00:00The House will come to order. Members strict enforcement is requested by
00:05representatives Moody, Raymond Munoz, Mary Gonzalez, Longoria Cortez, Martinez
00:09and Morales. You must register from your desk. You may not register for any other
00:13member. Clerk, ring the bell.
00:40Have all members registered.
00:53There being 95 members present, a quorum is not present. The House and gallery
00:58please rise for the invocation which will be offered by Ron Joy of DPS.
01:06Shall we pray? Gracious Heavenly Father, we praise you for your grace, your mercy
01:12and love. We're so thankful that nothing in this life, in the present or in the future,
01:17not any power in all of creation can separate us from your love. Lord, help us to cast all
01:24anxiety and fears upon you. Help us to trust in you and not let fear and worry distract
01:30us from the work you've given us. Let your peace, which transcends all understanding,
01:36guard our hearts and our minds. We pray for those who are still struggling with recovery
01:42and their loss of loved ones. Heal them and comfort them, Lord. We ask for your hand of
01:48protection for all of the students and those working in our schools that will be returning
01:53to school in the coming weeks. Thank you for the wisdom and protection that our governor,
02:00our legislature and all of our peace officers around the state provide to ensure each child
02:05is safe. We pray for your protection for all of our first responders as they dedicate their
02:11lives in the service and protection of others. Help every man and woman here to not become weary
02:18and doing good. For your word encourages us that at the proper time we will reap a harvest
02:24if we do not give up. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
02:28Amen. The chair recognizes the honorable Pat Curry to lead us in the Pledges of Allegiance
02:33to the United States and Texas Flags. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Members, members of the gallery,
02:39please join me in pledging allegiance to the flags of the greatest nation on earth and the
02:44greatest state in our nation. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America
02:51and to the republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.
03:01Honored with Texas Flags, I pledge allegiance to thee, Texas, one state, under God, one and indivisible.
03:09Members, may I have your attention. The roll has been called and a quorum has not been established.
03:26Here is where we are at today. Yesterday, Attorney General Ken Paxton and I took action to domesticate
03:33the civil arrest warrants in the state of Illinois, seeking to make them enforceable beyond Texas state lines.
03:40I expect suits in other states will be forthcoming. Chairman Guerin of House Administration has also contacted
03:47the Sergeant at Arms of Illinois House of Representatives requesting their direct assistance in returning absent members.
03:54I have been in constant communication with Department of Public Safety, which has been working to track down absent members
04:01in an effort to return them to our chamber. These efforts will continue through the weekend.
04:08For those that have fled to Illinois or to California, be reminded that the FBI's assistant has reportedly been enlisted,
04:17and their powers are not confined to any singular state's boundaries. As far as new administrative policies in our chamber go,
04:26Comptroller Kelly Hancock and I have enacted a new policy stating that any member absent for the purpose of breaking quorum
04:33will no longer have their paycheck or per diem deposited electronically. While the Constitution forbids us from withholding pay,
04:44it does not dictate how we issue the pay. Those checks must now be picked up in person on capital grounds effective immediately.
04:57Starting today, to safeguard taxpayer dollars and account for forthcoming liabilities under Rule 5, Section 3 of House Rules,
05:06which authorizes fines for members absent without leave, 30% of each quorum-breaking member's monthly operating budget will be reserved
05:15and made unavailable for expenditure. Absent members must also appear in person to approve or enact any of the following,
05:23requests for travel reimbursement, personal action requests including those increasing or decreasing staff salaries,
05:32approval for newsletters, and house of reproduction services. Failure to appear in person will result in the cancellation of your newsletters and the encumbered funds.
05:44We have all hands on deck. We are continuing to explore new avenues to compel a quorum and will keep pressing forward until the job is done.
05:54Finally, today, Dr. Greg Bonin will file House Bill 3, the House's Priority Legislation for Flood Recovery and Infrastructure funding,
06:03developed after 25 hours of testimony from Texans whose lives were upended by the July 4 floods.
06:10To those in California, Illinois, New York, or Massachusetts, wherever you may be, hear this.
06:19The bill cannot be referred to committee without a quorum. Every hour you remain away is time stolen from those Texans in need.
06:29Each one of you knows that eventually you will come back and we will pass the priorities of the special session on the call.
06:38But with each passing day, the political cost of your absence is rising and it will be paid in full.
06:45For the members' presence, I expect everyone to be here on Monday at the absolute latest.
06:52DPS is in the field to execute these warrants. Should they lead to the civil arrest of our absent colleagues over the weekend, you are on call.
07:02You will need to be available to return to Austin with a minimum of six hours of notice.
07:14Members, the call of the House remains in force. Under House rules, the House may adjourn from day to day.
07:21While I will call the House to order in a pro forma session tomorrow at 11 a.m., unless you receive a call to be here tomorrow because of DPS's good work,
07:31I will provide written permission to be entered in today's journal for each member registered as present during the session to leave the chamber and return 1 p.m. Monday.
07:40Members present today do not need to return until at 1 p.m. Monday.
07:47Members present today do not need to return until Friday.
07:50Until Monday.
07:53Mr. Garren moves the House stand adjourned until 11 a.m. Saturday.
07:59Is there any objection?
08:01Chair hears none, and the House stands adjourned.
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