League of Women Voters of Texas president Grace Chimene issued the following statement in response to the passage of SB 7 in the Texas House of Representatives:
"For democracy to work for all of us, it must include us all. In total disregard for what voters want, the Texas House of Representatives chose to pass a major election bill - SB 7 - that greatly limits voting methods, complicates voter assistance, and adds criminal penalties for election workers. The League of Women Voters of Texas (LWVTX) is deeply disappointed in both the outcome of this election bill and the process by which it ultimately passed.
“SB 7 erects deliberate barriers to silence our most vulnerable citizens: voters with disabilities, the elderly, and communities of color.
“Further, the process by which the bill was passed is shameful. Committee hearings lacked safety protocols and civility, discouraging in-person, public testimony. While citizens were allowed to provide written comments online, these comments were not made part of the official record or read at hearings. The final House debate did not begin in earnest until 2:45 am.
“Voting and elections are fundamental to our democracy. We had hoped for a more democratic process and an outcome that would benefit all voters instead of a few legislators.
“The League advocates for an election system where every American can safely and freely cast their ballot. In partnership with other community organizations, we asked legislators to carefully weigh election security with preserving voting rights. The League identified strong legislative opportunities to improve election security, such as bills implementing online voter registration, electronic tracking of mail ballot applications and mail ballots, and more secure election equipment.
“Texans across the state responded to League Action Alerts to contact their legislators to oppose legislation that would institutionalize barriers to voting. Over 80,000 emails regarding voting rights were sent to our Texas legislators.
“SB 7 was wholly substituted in the House Elections Committee with the language of HB 6, the other massive “election integrity” bill. As passed in the House, SB 7 contains a few amendments, such as deleting the requirement that assistants disclose the reason the voter needs assistance and pairing down some of the additional authority given to political poll watchers. As SB 7 continues through the process; however, it will be reworked and revised behind closed doors - in the conference committee.
“When finally passed, this bill will affect how we cast ballots and run elections in Texas for years to come - voters deserve better! Unfortunately, the majority of Texas legislators chose not to listen and to confirm their definition of ‘election integrity' is restricting voting rights and instilling fear for all involved in the election process.”