© Nexstar/Wes RapaportFlags fly at Texas Capitol • Austin, Texas
Debate on the measure began Wednesday evening before State Senator Carol Alvarado began speaking continuously without being able to lean on her desk, drink water, eat or use the restroom. She wrapped just before 9 a.m. local time on Thursday.
Lawmakers in Texas's upper house voted 18-11 in favor of the bill aimed at enhancing election security shortly after she stopped.
'Instead of making it easier to vote, [this bill] makes it easier to intimidate. Instead of making it harder to cheat, it makes it harder to vote,' Alvarado said in one of her last statements.
© APSenator Carol Alvarado wore a back brace and running shoes for her marathon protest.
Its passage comes after Republican Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan issued arrest warrants for 52 Democratic lawmakers who broke quorum for the third time over voting rights. The decision was approved after the Texas House voted 80-12 to move forward with the arrests for absent members, which enabled Phelan to issue the warrants. It's the second time that such a vote has been taking during ongoing quorum-bust.
The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday also overturned a trial court judge's ruling that would have prevented absent Democrats from being arrested.
Texas Democrats fled their state for Washington, D.C. on two private jets chartered at $100,000 to both deny Republicans quorum - the minimum number of members needed present to conduct business - and to draw attention to the effort to expand voting rights.
Armed with a back brace, glasses and sneakers, Alvarado spoke through the night on the history of voter discrimination and read public statements decrying the bill and messages sent by supporters urging her to keep going, according to the Texas Tribune.
At one point she opened her drawer and held up a photo of her father. 'When I want to stop talking, I've opened this drawer a few times and I look at this man who made me who I am today. Thank you dad,' Alvarado said.
Comment: The bill might make it easier to intimidate? Bills address actionable circumstances voted into order. There was nothing remotely heroic about the sudden Democratic exodus - a blatant dereliction of sworn duty with every attempt to intimidate. See also: