A dying bill that would have revisited Texas’ flawed voter ID law will be debated on the House floor Wednesday after it was jolted back to life by Republican Gov. Greg Abbott. The legislation, Senate Bill 5, cleared the upper chamber in March but had been withering in the House ever since. However, as the 2017 legislative session enters its final week, Abbott declared the measure a legislative emergency. That means it moves to the head of the House calendar on Wednesday, the final day for the lower chamber consider legislation likely to see organized opposition.
Lt. Gov Dan Patrick, the Republican who leads the Texas Senate, chided the House last week for not moving the measure to the floor sooner. It was among the bills he put on the fast-track early in the session.
“Nothing is more critical to our democracy than the integrity of the voting process,” Patrick said. “Citizens must be able to trust the certified outcome of every election and we must protect the voting rights of every eligible voter in Texas.”
Even though the Republican backers of the bill say the measure is designed to correct constitutional deficiencies in the voter ID law that were found by U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos last year, House Democrats are vowing to wage a spirited floor debate.
Full Article: Texas voter ID bill to be heard Wednesday in House.
