We’re a bit more than two weeks out from the end of this legislative session. It feels like it’s been pretty quiet, but perhaps that’s just in comparison to the last session when it was a nonstop fight over the bathroom bill. I’m not going to say this has been a good session, but it hasn’t stood out as a terrible one yet, which again may just be a comment on other recent Leges than a statement about this one. Be that as it may, we are at the point where bills can be killed by virtue of the constrained calendar that remains. The Texas House LGBTQ Caucus knocked off one bad bill recently, and now the time comes to go after another. Progress Texas explains.
After historic voter turnout in the 2018 midterms, Republicans started to get a little nervous. Too many new voters spell a disaster for the GOP that has long been out of touch with everyday Texans, so Republicans in the legislature got to work to prevent our fellow Texans from voting.
The “Slow Down the Vote” bill, known as SB 9, proposes a long list of changes to state voter laws, some of which could make access to the polls more difficult for our friends and neighbors. We need lawmakers to protect the fundamental right of every eligible citizen to vote and create an election system that works for all Texans.
Here’s everything you need to be up to date on the Republican voter suppression scheme:
Act Now: Stand up for Fair Elections: Say NO to the “Slow Down the Vote” Bill
Blogs:
There are some videos at that Progress Texas link with some good discussion about SB9, so click over to see them. This link provides the details of what SB9 would do.
The “Slow Down the Vote” bill, known as SB 9, proposes a long list of changes to state voter laws, some of which could make access to the polls more difficult for our friends and neighbors. Some of the items include:
Require people giving rides to the polls to sign sworn affidavits
Make it harder for people with disabilities to receive assistance at polls
Make it harder for some people to vote by mail
Take away the safe harbor to cast a provisional ballot
Allow registrars to reject voter registrations if any item is left blank
Allow campaigns to observe voters who require assistance
Allow the currently indicted Attorney General direct access to the state voter registration database
Allow the Secretary of State to share voter Social Security numbers with other states and jurisdictions
Create a mandate that countywide polling places be located within 3 miles of every registered voter, but only for the five most populous counties
We’ve previously written on the dangers of this bill, as have our friends at the Texas Civil Rights Project. The bill passed the Texas Senate in March and is on its way to the House.
The Current also had a story about an anti-SB9 rally at the Capitol. The good news here is that it’s just now getting a committee hearing in the House, which is scheduled for Wednesday, May 15, at 8 AM. That brings tactics like delays and points of order into play, with the goal of running out the clock before this thing can get a vote on the House floor. You can show up to testify against this bill – you should register as a witness beforehand. You can also call your own representative and urge him or her to oppose SB9. If you’ve been looking for a chance to Do Something this session, here it is.
In case anyone wants to actually READ the bill, here it is:
https://legiscan.com/TX/text/SB9/2019
I read a little bit, but I’ll refrain from commenting until I read the whole thing.