Two words sum up the 2021 Texas Legislative Session to date -- totally abnormal.
This year the Texas Legislature is off to even more of a gradual start than normal. While the pandemic is a big reason why members have been in recess more than in the Capitol, we also have a new House Speaker not hurrying into organizational chores. House committee appointments are likely weeks away. Who fills those posts makes a big difference in our advocacy. For example, insiders are predicting a new House Elections Committee Chair and member changes. It is also uncertain how citizens may participate in the legislative process, either in person or virtually.
It is wise for LWVTX to wait to address individual bills until the Legislature completes its organizational stage. We are following ALL the voting rights/election bills. There are some great bills that we clearly support, such as:
- Allowing temporary or mobile polling places once more (it was eliminated in 2019)
- 10 bills implementing some form of electronic voter registration
- Allowing ballots received by mail to be returned in person to the early voting locations
- Eliminating voter ID requirements or broadening voter IDs allowed
- Requiring polling places on most college campuses
Just like every session, there are also bills we will speak loudly against, such as:
- Allowing election workers to photograph voters whose ID they question
- Requiring a passport, certified birth certificate or citizenship papers to register to vote and
- Only allowing voter registration through the Secretary of State’s office who will maintain the registration cards.
As soon as any of these and other bills are referred to committees and committee hearings begin, League members and supporters (you!) will receive Action Alerts to contact your legislators.
Like most recent sessions, we expect more action on bills that would make voting more difficult than those making the democratic process equally available to all eligible voters. Legislative and political party leaders are calling priority attention to election bills. This is especially the case for the voting and election rules and processes argued in the courts in 2020.Almost allactions settled through court cases are being “retried” by both sides in House and/or Senate bills.