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As the 2023 legislative session nears, Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan is under pressure from a small but vocal group of fellow Republicans who want to ban Democratic committee chairs, a longtime tradition that has allowed the minority party a seat at the table despite being out of power.
The conservative agitators are unlikely to get their way, as Phelan — who is expected to be reelected as House speaker — has publicly defended the practice. But they believe their ranks have increased since the last session and are harder to dismiss at this point.
