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8.20.21 Capitol Action Report

LWV Texas | Published on 8/20/2021

LWVTX Capitol Action Report Masthead with Texas Capitol

August 20, 2021

Send Messages Today - Monday
House Select Committee on Constitutional Rights & Remedies
Use the Committee Online Portal
(August 20 - End of Public Hearing on August 23)


Please include these comments in all of your messages:

  • Request the committee focus on solutions for all voters and help restore the level of trust in Texas elections.
  • Acknowledge the magnitude of existing Election Code safeguards and transparency.

Don't forget to include any personal stories you may have! And be sure to make your comments as an individual, not as a representative of the League.
  • The hearing starts at 8 AM Monday!
  • Messages can be up to 3,000 characters.
  • Can be sent now, but must be sent before the end of the Monday hearing, (8/23).

These items are top priority opportunities for improvements in SB 1 in Committee (or on the Floor) -- in no particular order. Please pick from these suggested messages for your personalized message to the Committee. Include any personal experiences or stories that make your point.

  • The Texas COVID epidemic highlights the need for safer methods of voting more than ever. We need the safer options of expanded early voting, extended hours at polling places, and more options to return vote by mail ballots.These are what Texans want.

  • To be effective, I believe poll watchers should receive required additional training and should acknowledge the integrity of the polling space by executing an oath similar to election workers.

  • Include a complete cure process for applications for mail ballots and for the returned mail ballots. SB 1 added the ability to cure incomplete applications or ballots to the electronic ballot tracking system approved in the 87th regular session. However, House action can add a way to alert voters of the need for a cure and give clear instructions for making sure their vote counts; as well as make the process uniform in all counties not optional.

  • Similarly, voters with disabilities need additional refinement of SB 1. Specifically, the House can add provisions that allow blind voters a way to securely and privately vote.

  • Adding electronic voter registration to the omnibus bill would greatly increase the accuracy and integrity of the voter registration rolls, as well as reduce costs.


At the Capitol - Back In Business!
Janet Imhoff, Vice President Advocacy

After some Democratic House members returned on Thursday, the House now has a quorum.The House immediately scheduled hearings on the bills the Senate had passed earlier, including:
  • SB 1- the omnibus elections bill, which will restrict access for many (OPPOSE), Monday 8 AM.
  • SB 2 - the transgender bill restricting students from participating in UIL sports (OPPOSE), Tuesday, 10:30.
  • SB 3 - the racial education bill restricting how teachers can address the history of race in the classroom (OPPOSE), Tuesday, 10:30.
  • SB 9 - to provide instruction on the prevention of child abuse, family violence, and dating violence to middle and high school students (SUPPORT)

Other bills of interest:
  • SJR 3 - a proposed Constitutional Amendment, which would tighten bail for violent offenses, but allow the “least restrictive bail conditions” for other offenses.
  • SJR 2 - a proposed Constitutional Amendment regarding school ad valorem taxes for the elderly and disabled.

Testimony - In-person testimony is allowed but hazardous in light of the pandemic.So each committee has set up a portal for electronic comments. Click on the committee name to submit testimony.


Please make your comments as an individual, not as a representative of the League.
Take Action!
Share these social media posts!
  1. Impact of Poll Watchers
  2. Impact on Election Judges
  3. Exposing Personal Information
  4. Personal Identification Number
  5. Signature Verification
  6. Cure Provisions
  7. Lost Ballot Provision
  8. Voter Purges
  9. "Harvesting"
  10. Voter Assistance
Don't forget you can send a Letter to the Editor to your local media!

Our alerts will have a pre-written letter to the editor and these are so effective in educating the broader public, especially in suburban and rural areas. When you send your letter to legislators, you get the option to send the Letter to the Editor, with a list of the local media in your area. Click which paper to send it to, and it goes with your name and address directly to that paper. (You can click up to six papers).

The large city papers get numerous letters and may require more contact information, so instead, choose the small suburban and rural papers in your area. My suburban weekly paper has printed two of our letters!You can also modify and personalize the letter with your experiences before sending.
FYI!
Webinar Gender Traps in Communication—and How to Escape Them
Wednesday, Aug 25, 2021 11:30 AM in Central Time

In advance of Women’s Equality Day, ReThink Media invites League members to a webinar on Gender Traps in Communication - and How to Escape Them. Rethink Media conducts in-depth media and opinion analysis on their three issue areas -- democracy rights & inclusion and peace & security. They know what the public thinks, what messages are driving the narrative, who’s being sourced, and what journalists are driving discourse. Have a look at their content on Gender Traps in Communications here and join us at the webinar!





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