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Lawmakers debate clearing galleries, witness access and ticketing during expedited special session
Summary
Committee members argued over whether clearing a disruptive gallery should prevent scheduled witnesses from testifying; the chair and Representative Boyd said individuals removed would not be allowed back during the special session but committees try to allow scheduled witnesses to be heard when safe.
Members pressed the committee for clear rules governing what happens when a gallery or committee room is cleared for disruption and how that would affect witnesses who traveled to testify.
Leader Camper and other members worried that witnesses driving long distances could lose their opportunity to testify if the room were cleared and suggested holding rooms or a clerk‑managed list so scheduled witnesses could be preserved. "This is a different group of people and we don't know who else is gonna be in that room," Camper said, urging options to protect witnesses who traveled to appear.
Chairman Lambert and Representative Boyd described customary practice: tickets are individualized through the clerk’s online portal, removed individuals would typically be ineligible for the remaining days of the special session, and committees often try to bring scheduled witnesses back to testify if circumstances permit. Speaker Zachary emphasized decorum and said that when a gallery is cleared for a disruption, 'no one is allowed back in. Period.' The chair agreed to explore options with the speaker’s office to identify holding rooms or alternative committee rooms to preserve witness testimony when feasible.
