Austin-(AP) -- Texas today filed a motion in federal court in Laredo to dismiss a lawsuit that Democrats filed over the GOP congressional redistricting flap.
GOP Governor Rick Perry and others want the case to be referred to a federal appeals court.
Democrats allege Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst violated the Voting Rights Act by dropping a rule that requires two-thirds of the Senate to agree to debate a bill.
That's partly why 11 Texas Senate Democrats have been in New Mexico since July 28 -- to block a quorum.
Meanwhile, new penalties took effect today for those 11 Democrats.
Texas Senate Republicans originally said the sanctions wouldn't start until Tuesday, but late today that was updated to immediately.
The Republicans decided to yank the rebels' parking spaces and cell phones, plus other privileges. The Democrats are already facing minimum fines of $1,000 per day.
But the Democrats today responded by saying all of the sanctions aren't legal because the Texas Senate lacks a quorum.