SENATE APPROVES VOTER ID MODIFICATIONS
By Richard Lee The Senate on Monday tentatively passed a bill that would bring Texas Voter ID law into compliance with federal court rulings. Passed originally in 2011, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled last July that the law requiring use of a government photo ID violated provisions of the Voting Rights Act. In order to update the law and allow enforcement, SB 5, by Houston Senator Joan Huffman, would bring the law into compliance with the ruling. Huffman believes her bill meets the standards laid out by the court while protecting against voter fraud. “The intent of Senate Bill 5 is to follow all constitutional direction that we’ve received from the federal courts to achieve a bill that is fair to all who want to vote, yet retains the integrity of the vote,” she said. The bill would expand a pilot program that created mobile ID certification service that offers an ID suitable for voting at no charge. It would also create a way for people without a photo ID to still vote a full ballot. A person would have to sign an affidavit affirming that they have a reasonable impediment to obtaining a photo ID, such as a lack of transportation, work schedule, or lack of a birth certificate. Then they would present an official document verifying their name and address, like a bank statement, pay...
Read More