The state will “effective immediately” begin making it easier for disabled Texans who receive job training to register to vote. The action comes after a disability rights group threatened to sue last week if changes weren’t made. The Texas Workforce Commission said in a letter they will begin the process of implementing voter registration services to disabled Texans served by its Vocational Rehabilitation Program. “Please note that the State of Texas … is committed to making sure that all eligible Texans have the opportunity to register to vote, including Texans with disabilities,” the TWC and the Texas Secretary of State office wrote in a joint letter this week.
The letter was written in response to lawyers from the Texas Civil Rights Project, representing the Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, who sent their own letter last week threatening the state with potential litigation if the commission failed to change its practices.
The lawyers from the disability advocacy group argued the state was in violation of federal law by not providing voter registration services to Texans with disabilities who obtain job training from state agencies, specifically the TWC.
Up to 100,000 Texans with disabilities each year are not being offered services to make it easier to register to vote, based on state data, according to the letter.
Full Article: State acts to ensure disabled Texans are able to vote – San Antonio Express-News.