Attention and Action
1. At the Unit Meetings this week, we shared a short summary of some of the bills on Voting Rights in the 88th Legislative session (see below). Let your representatives know what you think - the bills you support and oppose - through emails and phone calls. Join our monthly advocacy committee meetings to stay in touch with legislation on health care, state education, housing and voting rights. Events
2. Also, Elisabeth MacNamara, Vice President of Advocacy for Texas, said to expect to see more Take Action requests from the Texas league starting next week. See her comments on SB2 below. Find Take Actions here: League of Women Voters of Texas Home Page
3. Make sure to read the LWVTX Capitol Action Report, an email from Elisabeth MacNamara - last one was sent on March 14, 2023.
4. Our Connections Meeting, for new and existing members, is tomorrow, Saturday morning, March 18th. Join us and meet new friends and hear about volunteer opportunities. We need you! Paige Elphingstone is our host, VP of Membership. Register Here!
5. The Housing Advocacy Committee meeting on Tuesday, March 21 from 6-7 pm will talk about new housing in South Dallas. Register Here
6. Just a reminder - share our flyers with voting information for the May municipal election! Click here for the flyer in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.
Information on proposed Bills:
How to improve voting in Texas:
- Further criminalize voting (SB 2, HB 52, HB 222, HB 397, HB 1243, HB 1735, SB 166). SB2 passed the Senate on March 13. Author: Sen. Hughes, Bowie County, Co-Authors included Paxton, Collin County
- Senator Hall, district has parts of Dallas, Senate Bill 1338, would eliminate the provision allowing people who are 65 years old and older to vote by mail.
- Create a police force, “Election Marshals” under the Secretary of State (SOS) charged with investigating election offenses. Offenses submitted based on at least one affidavit or unsworn declaration. Sen. Bettencourt, Harris County, SB 220 & Rep. Swanson, Harris County, HB549 (identical)
- Authorizes SOS to suspend a county election administrator’s employment at any time if someone: files an administrative election complaint with SOS and SOS has “good cause to believe” a “recurring pattern of problems”. Sen. Bettencourt, SB823 and Rep. Oliverson and Rep. Paul, HB 2020, Harris County
- Expand the Attorney General’s authority to prosecute election crimes (HB 125, HB 678)
- Prohibit electronic balloting devices and electronic poll books (SB 512/HB 4547)
- Require proof of citizenship to register to vote and penalize a VDR with a state jail felony for unknowingly accepting a non-valid document (HB 2123)
|
Advocacy Update: Elisabeth MacNamara
Senate Bill 2 passed out of committee last week, as anticipated. The bill increases the penalty for so-called voter fraud to a felony carrying up to 20 years in prison. It also purports to punish anyone who votes or attempts to vote if the voter knows that they are, for example, a convicted felon regardless of whether that voter knows that they are violating the Election Code. If this sounds confusing it is because the amended language of the SB2 is confusing.The League of Women Voters registered its opposition but did not present testimony at this point in the process. However, this is a priority bill for the Elections team and we will take strong action against it when the time is right.
The House Elections Committee held its organizational hearing last week, taking invited testimony only. The testimony from the Secretary of State’s Office and election administrators consistently asked legislators not to make major changes again this session. When questioned by committee members about necessary changes to the vote by mail process, witnesses also consistently supported better application and ballot design and a realistic time line for curing ballots.
|
In League,
Diane Tasian
President
League of Women Voters of Dallas
|
LWVD Office
6060 N Central Expwy, Suite 500
Dallas, TX 75206
Phone: (214) 688-4125
Email: info@lwvdallas.org
www.lwvdallas.org
| |