From New York Times, I'm Michael Barrow. This is the day.

Today, the population of Texas is becoming less old, less white, and less Republican by the day.

So why have Texas lawmakers just embarked on the most ultra conservative legislative session in modern memory?

Sabrina Tavernici asked our colleague, Manny Fernandez.

It's Thursday, June 3rd.

Many tell me what happened at the Texas State Capitol over the weekend.

So it was a wild weekend in Austin.

You had the approach of the end of the legislative session at the Texas legislature and up until this point,

you had the Texas Republicans who control the legislature pass bill after bill after bill of conservative legislation.

21 eyes and 10 days bills finally passed. Thank you Senator.

Thank you, Mr. President. Thank you, Senators.

Mostly steamrolling over the Texas Democrats who are the minority party.

And just hours before the 2021 legislative session is officially over, the Texas House starts debating the controversial Senate bill 7.

The bill would restrict voting hours and drive a voting would not be allowed.

And the Democrats basically get fed up. They kind of hatched this plan to walk out, to literally walk out of the building.

So no votes could be taken on a bill that was sort of last straw for Democrats.

Senate Democrats say this is a voter suppression and it targets minorities.

And that bill would restrict voting statewide in Texas.

It's a straight up assault on voting rights.

Text messages went out among the Democratic lawmakers.

It said, leave the building, take your keys, don't come back.

And many lawmakers did it. They left.

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