MRT 8/13/25 (free): IL Court Rejects Paxton Request to Enforce Arrest Warrants on AWOL Dems // 2nd Special Session to Begin Fri // Dallas Fed: TX Economy Slowing // Massive Train Derailment SW of Fort Worth

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BY: @MattMackowiak 

WEDNESDAY | 8/13/205

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• TOP NEWS  

“Illinois court rejects Texas request to enforce arrest warrants against House Democrats,” Houston Chronicle's Michael Garcia -- "Illinois courts will not force Texas Democrats back to the state, a judge ruled Wednesday, dealing a blow to Attorney General Ken Paxton and House Speaker Dustin Burrows’ efforts to restore the headcount necessary to pass the GOP’s new congressional map.

Burrows issued civil arrest warrants Aug. 4 for the dozens of House Democrats who left the state to deny quorum, the minimum number of people required for the House to take up legislation. Those warrants can only be enforced within state lines, making them largely symbolic for the lawmakers who had absconded to Illinois, Massachusetts and New York.

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But Burrows and Paxton took the unusual step of asking courts in those states to carry out the warrants and bring the lawmakers back to Texas.

On Wednesday, Illinois Judge Scott Larson rejected the petition, ruling that Paxton and Burrows had “failed to present a legal basis for the court” to take up the issue.

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Illinois courts’ cannot consider whether “foreign legislators” were willfully evading their duties, and they cannot direct Illinois law enforcement to execute civil quorum warrants upon “nonresidents temporarily located in the State of Illinois,” Larson said, noting that the warrants specifically say they are to be enforced within Texas. Even if the court were to take up the case, which Larson ruled it lacks the ability to do, the response would be a ruling on whether the lawmakers are willfully disobeying a court order — not an order returning them to Texas as Paxton and Burrows demanded, Larson said.

Spokespeople for Paxton and Burrows did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The lawsuit was filed in Illinois’ westernmost county, four and a half hours away from the Chicago suburb where the Democrats have camped out. The county voted for Trump by 47 percentage points in 2024, suggesting Paxton was seeking a friendlier venue than he might have found in DuPage County — where the Democrats are staying — which went for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris by 14 points.

The Legislature is winding down its first 30-day special session, which was abruptly interrupted by the Democrats’ quorum break. Burrows has said he will adjourn the session Friday if there is no quorum, and Gov. Greg Abbott has promised to call lawmakers back immediately for another overtime round.

The new congressional map, drawn after pressure from President Donald Trump, aims to give Republicans five additional seats to shore up the party’s slim majority in the U.S. House ahead of the 2026 midterms." Texas Tribune

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• TOP NEWS

“Texas economy, job growth slowing amid trade war and immigration crackdown, Dallas fed report says” Texas Tribune

“35 Union Pacific train cars derail near Texas town, no injuries reported” AP

“Along Guadalupe River, more than a dozen summer camps have structures in flood zones” Texas Tribune

• #TXLEGE  

“Texas GOP to start second special session if Democrats don’t come back by Friday” DMN ($)

• LOCAL GOVERNMENT  

“Dallas City Council weighs in on proposed $5.2 billion city budget” DMN ($)

“Bexar County property taxes likely to stay flat even as budget faces lean year” SAEN ($)

Josh Brodesky column: “Ball is in Mayor Jones' court — will she take the win or open door for Spurs' exit?” SAEN ($)

"Midland school board votes to restore school name honoring Confederate general” Texas Tribune

• BUSINESS NEWS  

James C.F. Huang guest column: “Taiwan and Texas are building the future together” DMN ($)

• NEWS FROM AROUND THE STATE 

> TX TRIB: "Texas private schools hire relatives and enrich insiders. Soon they can do it with taxpayer money." TX TRIB

> TX TRIB: "Texas could lose political clout under Trump’s call for a new census that excludes undocumented immigrants" TX TRIB

> HOU CHRON: "Texas Senate Democrats stage symbolic walkout to protest redistricting" HOU CHRON

> HOU CHRON: "Lawmaker urges Texas regulators to stop Conroe compressor project near I-45" HOU CHRON

> DMN: "McKinney deck park in jeopardy after Big Beautiful Bill Act cuts $15M in federal funding" DMN

> DMN: "Texas Senate passes redistricting map despite walkout by majority of Democrats" DMN

> SA REPORT: "Mayor Jones: The people deserve our due diligence" SA REPORT

> THE TEXAN: "Chemical Abortion Drug Ban Passes Texas Senate as House Remains Without Quorum" THE TEXAN

> DMN: "Texas GOP to start second special session if Democrats don’t come back by Friday" DMN

> THE TEXAN: "Texas Legislature to Sine Die Friday Without Quorum, Abbott to Immediately Call Second Special Session" THE TEXAN

> THE TEXAN: "Texas Supreme Court Sets 'Expedited Briefing Schedule' in Abbott-Wu House Seat Vacancy Case" THE TEXAN

> DMN: "Texas redistricting: Political stunts rarely change outcomes" DMN

> HOU CHRON: "Texas DA who charged abortion patient with murder accused of once paying for one" HOU CHRON

> THE TEXAN: "Local Leaders Urge Congress Not to Withhold Funding from Texas High-Speed Rail Projects" THE TEXAN

> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Pearland to discuss budget in September, tax rate increase likely" COMMUNITY IMPACT

> SA REPORT: "Suspending homeless students is now easier for Texas schools" SA REPORT

> COMMUNITY IMPACT: "Fort Bend County considers associate court numbers in FY 2025-26 budget" COMMUNITY IMPACT

> KXAN: "Dialogue and a blue vest: Austin Police Department’s latest tools to manage crowd safety" KXAN

> MY RGV: "Sepulveda launches reelection campaign for Harlingen mayoral office" MY RGV

> KXAN: "Texas couple struggles to get visa for prospective international student" KXAN

• EXTRA POINTS 

Yesterday's Texas sports scores:
> WNBA: Dallas 81, Indiana 80
> MLB: Arizona 3, Texas 2
> MLB: Boston 14, Houston 1

Tonight's Texas sports schedule:
> 1:35pm: MLB: Arizona at Texas
> 6:10pm: MLB: Boston at Houston

Tomorrow's Texas sports schedule:
None.

DALLAS COWBOYS: "Cowboys owner Jerry Jones reveals he overcame stage 4 cancer" DMN ($)

HOUSTON TEXANS: "Texans’ Brevin Jordan suffers another season-ending injury" AP

HOUSTON ASTROS: "Bregman, Narváez home runs power Red Sox to 14-1 win over Astros" AP

HOUSTON ASTROS: "Mariners catch Astros in the AL West after beating Baltimore for their 8th straight win" AP

HOUSTON ASTROS: "Astros place closer Josh Hader on injured list with shoulder strain" Hou Chron ($)

TEXAS RANGERS: "Ketel Marte’s 9th-inning homer gives D-backs 3-2 win over Rangers" AP

DALLAS WINGS: "Maddy Siegrist scores 22 and Dallas holds on for an 81-80 win after the Fever close on a 19-3 run" AP

HOUSTON DASH: "Alozie juggles the Houston Dash, the Nigerian national team and even cancer research" AP