In a bold move to compel absent lawmakers back to the Capitol, the Texas House has cut off direct deposit payments for Democratic members who fled the state. These legislators will no longer receive their salaries until they return to Texas in person.

Additionally, each absent member faces a $500 daily fine, causing financial penalties to mount quickly as political tensions rise in Austin.

This measure follows a prolonged legislative standoff, during which Democratic lawmakers walked out to block a vote on controversial bills. Republican leaders say the new financial penalties are a direct effort to restore order and accountability, targeting the lawmakers’ wallets to force their return.

The decision has ignited fierce national debate. Supporters argue that elected officials must fulfill their duties and that consequences are appropriate for walking away. Critics, however, call the move punitive and politically motivated—more about silencing opposition than restoring function.

As fines grow and paychecks remain frozen, all eyes are on Texas to see how the standoff will end—and what precedent it might set.