Texas Democrat spends night in House chamber

A Democratic Texas lawmaker opted to spend the night in the state House chamber and remain there Tuesday rather than allow a law enforcement officer to shadow her while Republicans try to prevent further delays to redrawing U.S. House maps.

- BILL BARROW, TRAN NGUYEN, FERNANDA FIGUEROA AND JOHN HANNA

DEMOCRATIC Texas Rep. Nicole Collier gestures from the state House floor.

Rep. Nicole Collier's overnight stay stemmed from Republicans in the Texas House requiring returning Democrats to sign what the Democrats called “permission slips,” agreeing to around-the-clock surveillance by state Department of Public Safety officers to leave the floor.

Collier, of Fort Worth, refused and remained on the House floor Monday night.

A message seeking comment was sent Tuesday to the Department of Public Safety.

The Democrats’ returnto Texas puts the Republican-run Legislature in position to satisfy President Trump's demands, possibly this week, as California Democrats advance new congressional boundaries in retaliation.

Lawmakers had officers posted outside their Capitol offices, and suburban Dallas Rep. Mihaela Plesa said one tailed her Monday evening during her drive back to her apartment in Austin after spending much of the day on a couch in her office. She said he went with her for a staff lunch and even down the hallway with her for restroom breaks.

“We were kind of laughing about it, to be honest, but this is really serious stuff,” Plesa said in a telephone interview. “This is a waste of taxpayer dollars and really performative theater.”

Collier, who represents a minority-majority district, said she would not “sign away my dignity” and allow Republicans to “control my movements and monitor me.”

“I know these maps will harm my constituents,” she said in a statement. “I won't just go along quietly with their intimidation or their discrimination.”

Two states at center of expanding fight