Thread: Voter ID bill comes up in state House today

Voter ID bill comes up in state House today

By Zahira Torres / Austin Bureau
Posted: 03/21/2011 10:40:17 AM MDT

Voter identification legislation may be flailing in New Mexico but it will certainly fly through Texas where Republicans hold large majorities in the House and Senate.

Under the measure, which has already cleared the Senate and will be taken up today by the House, voters would have to present certain forms of photo identification before casting ballots.

Expect this bill, authored by state Sen. Troy Fraser, R-Horseshoe Bay, and sponsored by state Rep. Patricia Harless, R-Spring, to be the first of Gov. Rick Perry's emergency items to make it to his desk.

A vote on the bill could come today.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/newupdated/ci_17664962

A bill like this one is severely needed in California.

Voter ID bill gets derailed

The House Voter ID bill got dertailed today because of a technical defect. It will have to go back to a legislative committee.

Rep. Armando Martinez, D-Weslaco, raised an objection to the bill because of a provision in the legislation allowing a voter six days to provide a photo identification after casting a provisional ballot without such ID.

The bill analysis indicated voters would have six business days to provide photo ID.

House Speaker Joe Straus, R-San Antonio, ruled that the objection was valid.

http://blogs.chron.com/texaspolitics/ar ... ill_g.html