Texas House advances election bill after Democrats delayed it by fleeing state

The Texas House late Thursday advanced a sweeping election law after months of Democratic opposition that included a nearly six-week quorum break. 

The House passed the bill 79-37 mostly along party lines, according to The Associated Press. The bill's passage came one week after Democrats ended their 38-day walkout. Texas Governor Greg Abbott tweeted earlier Thursday that he looked "forward to signing this bill into law." House Democrats left the state in July in an effort to deny the Republican majority a quorum and defeat the bill during the first special session. Many Democratic lawmakers did not return to the Capitol at the start of the second session earlier this month, continuing the quorum break, but enough Democrats returned in recent days to end the stalemate.