Texas Democrats plan to leave state to prevent vote on GOP election bill

Democratic lawmakers from the Texas Legislature plan to leave the state so there won't be enough lawmakers present to hold a vote on Republican election bills, two sources familiar with the plans confirmed to CBS News. 

They plan to head to Washington, D.C., to prevent a quorum during the special legislative session that is being held because they scuttled the May legislative session —  also by leaving —  to block a sweeping elections bill. 

Texas lawmakers returned to Austin last week to start a special session. Governor Greg Abbott asked lawmakers to address election integrity, bail reform, border security, social media censorship, transgender sports and critical race theory.  Passing an election bill is one of the top priorities for Republican lawmakers during the special session.

The decision to leave the state echoes a move by Democratic lawmakers in 2003 who fled to Oklahoma during a fight over redistricting. Leaving the state would prevent law enforcement officials from rounding up lawmakers and forcing them to go back to work. 

Republicans lawmakers in the House and Senate introduced major election bills last week that were largely similar to the bill Democrats blocked in May. Committees in both chambers heard hours of testimony before ultimately advancing the bills. They were slated to receive floor votes as early as this week. 

President Biden is scheduled to give a major address on voting rights in Philadelphia on Tuesday. During her press briefing Monday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said she was going to check if anyone from the White House would meet with the lawmakers. Texas Democratic state lawmakers also went to Washington, D.C., in June to meet with Vice President Kamala Harris and members of Congress. 

During a voting rights listening session in Detroit, Harris said the Texas Democratic lawmakers are showing, "extraordinary courage and commitment." Harris added that she applauds their "standing for the rights of all Americans."

"I applaud their standing for the rights of all Americans and all Texans to express their voice through their vote unencumbered," Harris said. "They are leaders who are marching in the path that so many others before did. When they fought and many died for our right to vote."

Ed O'Keefe and Tim Perry contributed to this report.

This is a breaking story. It will be updated.