80th Legislature: Voter ID Battle To Hit House Floor Tuesday
By Vince Leibowitz on Apr 16, 2007 in 80th Legislature
The battle over Voter ID will hit the House floor on Tuesday. I’ve heard rumblings that there is enough of a bi-partisan coalition put together to send the bills (HBs 218 and 626) down in flames.
Even so, that doesn’t negate the need for activism to ensure that these bills meet the floor death they so richly deserve.
As we’ve told you on numerous occasions, these bills are a disaster. HB 218 alone is a train wreck:
The bill would require every voter to show one of the following in addition to their voter registration certificate:
* driver’s license or personal identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety (DPS) that has not expired or expired within two years of the date of presentation;
* U.S. military identification card containing the person’s photograph;
* valid employee identification card containing the person’s photograph;
* U.S. citizenship certificate that contains the person’s photograph;
* U.S. passport issued to the person;
* student identification card issued by a public or private institution of higher education located in Texas that contains the person’s photograph; or
* license to carry a concealed handgun issued by DPS.And, if they can’t, they must show two pieces of ID from the following list:
*Â copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows the name and address of the voter;
* official mail addressed to the person by name from a governmental entity;
* certified copy of a birth certificate or other acceptable document confirming birth;
* U.S. citizenship papers;
* original or certified copy of a person’s marriage license or divorce decree;
* court records of a person’s adoption or name or sex change;
* identification card issued by a governmental entity for the purpose of obtaining public benefits, including veteran’s benefits, Medicaid, or Medicare;
* temporary driving permit issued to the person by DPS;
* pilot’s license issued to the person by an authorized federal agency;
* library card, containing the person’s name, issued by a public library located in this state; or
* hunting or fishing license issued to the person by the Parks and Wildlife Department.
HB 626 would screw up the voter registration process immeasurably. From the bill analysis:
C.S.H.B. 626 amends Section 13.002 of the Election Code by providing that a applicant desiring to register to vote must include a certified copy of a document sustaining proof that an applicant is a United States citizen and states that a birth certificate or other documents confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law, United States citizenship papers issued to the applicant, or an expired United States passport issued to the applicant may be acceptable proofs of citizenship.
This legislation amends the Election Code by eliminating the postcard from mail in registration and states that the official prescribed application form for registration by mail must be in the form of business reply mail, unless otherwise stated by the Election Code.
Roadblocks, roadblocks, roadblocks. That’s what these bills are about: roadblocks to the voting process for the poor and minorities. Sonia at DU has a great round-up on this one. Check it out.
So “millions” of Texans don’t have a drivers license or photo ID? How do they cash checks? Open a bank account? Fly? I realize that passage of this bill will put a crimp in the “frequent voter” program dims expect to run to victory. Too bad. No ID, no vote.
Of course millions of Texans don’t have photo ID. How do they cash checks? If they’re not elderly or unemployed, they endorse the checks and pass them to a friend or relative with an ID to cash. A bank account? Most don’t have enough money for one. Fly? That’s a pipe dream.
MILLIONS OF TEXANS do not have a birth certificate, either, and this would stop them from registering to vote, period.
Wake up and smell the coffee.