State House Speaker Dustin Burrows, a Republican, blasted what he described as a “dereliction of duty” and vowed that the votes would only be delayed, not prevented, by the Democratic members’ absences. Without two-thirds of members present, the chamber couldn’t move ahead with any official business.

Republican House Speaker Dustin Burrows issued civil arrest warrants Monday for the more than 50 Democrats who fled Texas to block a vote on the controversial plan to boost the GOP's numbers in Congress by redistricting.