Texas Republicans have locked Democratic Rep. Nicole Collier inside the state house chamber and refuse to allow her to leave.

Multiple recent reports from August 2025 confirm that Democratic Representative Nicole Collier of Fort Worth, Texas, remains inside the Texas House chamber because she refuses to sign a GOP-mandated permission slip. This slip requires Democrats who previously broke quorum to be escorted by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) when leaving the chamber. The Republican leadership is enforcing this escort policy as a form of monitoring and control over Democratic members who had fled to break quorum earlier. Collier's refusal to sign the permission slip means she has chosen to stay inside the chamber rather than comply with the escort requirement.

While some sources phrase it as Republicans 'locking her inside,' the more precise situation is that Collier is voluntarily remaining inside due to her refusal to accept the conditions imposed by GOP leadership. The Republicans are not physically restraining her but are enforcing procedural rules that require an escort for Democrats leaving the chamber, which Collier rejects.

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This situation reflects ongoing partisan tensions in the Texas House, with Republicans using procedural controls and Democrats protesting these measures through non-compliance.