AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Thursday, March 24, 2011: The Texas House has approved a bill requiring residents to show photo identification before voting. The move came despite complaints from Democrats who say it's designed to erect hurdles for poor and minority voters who are less likely to have state-issued identification cards.

 The legislation cleared the House 101-48 Wednesday night after more than 11 hours of debate in which Democrats repeatedly tried to derail it.
 

The measure has sparked anger and partisan bickering ever since Republican Gov. Rick Perry put it on the fast track in January. GOP lawmakers say it's necessary to prevent voter fraud. The bill faces a final, perfunctory hurdle in the House. A similar bill passed the Senate, but it faces another vote in that chamber.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 - 4:53pm

Austin - A bill to require Texans to show a photo ID before voting was back on the House floor Wednesday despite repeated efforts by Democrats to derail it.

The legislation has sparked anger and partisan bickering ever since Republican Gov. Rick Perry put it on the fast track at the beginning of the legislative session in January.

GOP lawmakers say it's necessary to prevent voter fraud. Democrats contend the bill is designed to erect hurdles for poor and minority voters who are less likely to have a state-issued ID card.

Rep. Marc Veasey, D-Fort Worth, said the legislation would undermine the civil rights that minorities gained after years of voter suppression.

"People are willing to turn back the clock . . . just so they can win close elections," Veasey said. "If you don't have these forms of identification, your vote is going to be thrown in the garbage."

The legislation, as currently drafted, would require voters to present a valid form of state or federally issued photo identification. A driver's license, personal ID card, military ID, passport or concealed handgun permit would be accepted. Voters who don't have an ID could get one for free from the Texas Department of Public Safety.

The bill had contained an exemption for elderly voters, but the House stripped it out during deliberations Wednesday.

Thursday, February 3, 2011 - 7:00pm

Texas Republicans are making a hard push to require voters to show photo identification before casting their ballots.

The Senate acted quickly on Governor Rick Perry's emergency declaration for the bill, scheduling public testimony on the bill for Tuesday with a possible vote on the bill late in the day or on Wednesday.

Republicans are making stronger voter ID laws a top priority as a way to prevent fraud.  Democrats say it's a partisan effort designed to boost GOP margins on election day.

Democrats blocked a similar bill in 2009, but they now face a large Republican majority in the Senate and House that is expected to quickly pass the measure

Texas Senate gives the thumbs up to voter ID bill
Thursday, January 27, 2011 - 6:19pm

AUSTIN - Texas Republican leaders have scored their first major legislative victory of the 2011 session with Senate passage of a bill requiring most residents to present photo identification before being allowed to vote.

The legislation, which exempts certain disabled people and those 70 and older, passed the Senate along partisan lines after majority Republicans shot down one Democratic amendment after another. One last-minute change both sides could agree on in the pro-gun Texas Legislature: a provision adding a concealed weapons permit as a valid form of identification.

Republicans say tougher voter ID laws are needed to prevent fraud. Democrats say the effort is designed to boost GOP margins by keeping left-leaning voters, less likely to have ID, away from polls.

The bill moves to the state House, where passage is considered likely. GOP Gov. Rick Perry supports the measure.

The bill is tougher than a 2009 version blocked by Democrats. It requires voters to present a valid former of state or federally issued photo identification. A driver's license, personal ID card, military ID, passport or concealed handgun permit would the accepted. Disabled Texans who present county election authorities with a doctor's letter would be exempt.

Voter ID bill gets airing before House committee
Tuesday, March 1, 2011 - 10:03pm

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) - Republicans on Tuesday were pushing new ID
requirements for Texas voters, one of a string of bills that
conservative legislators have put on the fast track in the state
Legislature.

The bill, which would require a photo ID for most voters, came
up for a debate in a House panel after clearing the Senate in
January. Voters over age 70 and disabled voters would be exempt.
 

The bill's passage into law is all but certain despite claims by
Democrats and civil rights groups that the legislation would erect
new hurdles for minorities and the poor. Republicans say it's
needed to combat voter fraud.

Voter ID is one of several issues this week sure to warm the
hearts of conservative activists - and frustrate Democrats who are
essentially powerless to stop them.

On Wednesday, lawmakers will hear testimony about legislation designed to crack down on illegal
immigrants in so-called "sanctuary cities," and the House will
debate legislation requiring women to get a sonogram before having
an abortion.

The Voter ID legislation was first bill out of the Senate, and the sonogram bill is the first one scheduled to hit the House floor.

"I'm always amazed that the folks who campaign on limited
government, their first two priorities are more government," said
Rep. Pete Gallego, a West Texas Democrat. Gallego said the both the
voter ID and the sonogram bill would require the Legislature to
spend money on discretionary programs at a time when appropriators
are looking for every available dollar to plug a budget shortfall
as high as $27 billion.
 

Gov. Rick Perry put voter ID, abortion restrictions and the
sanctuary cities bill on the fast track by declaring them
"emergency" legislative priorities at the beginning of the
session in January.
 

Rep. Larry Taylor, head of the House Republican Caucus, said the
social conservative legislation was not providing a distraction to
the work on the budget.
 

"They are emergency items as designated by the governor,"
Taylor said. "The appropriations process is continuing. It's not
slowing that down at all."
 

According to the House author of the voter ID legislation, GOP
Rep. Patricia Harless, the $2 million needed for training and
implementation of the bill would be paid for entirely with federal
money.

Harless proposed adding an exemption for disabled Texans and
allowing voters to use a handgun license that had not expired more
than two months before being used at a polling place.
 

Republicans are pushing voter ID bills across the country. The
one in Texas mirrors a law passed several years ago in Georgia.
 

"The point of the bill is to deter and detect fraud, increase
the public confidence in the voting process and make it no more
burdensome than the actual act of voting," Harless said. Georgia
Secretary of State Brian Kemp, testifying before the House
committee, said that since the legislation took effect there, "we
have not disenfranchised anyone . . . especially any minority
group."
 

The legislation, as currently drafted, would require voters to
present a valid form of state or federally issued photo
identification.

A driver's license, personal ID card, military ID, passport or concealed handgun permit would be accepted.

Rep. Marc Veasey, a Democrat from Fort Worth, said the
legislation was designed to discourage marginal voters - generally
Democrats - from casting ballots. He said Republicans were hoping
to "skim that off the top" in order to win close elections.