State Capital Highlights

Voter ID law remains on hold pending legal action


 

 

Before and after the passage of Senate Bill 14 by the Texas Legislature in 2011, the new voter identification legislation was labeled discriminatory by its opponents (Democrats) but a necessary tool to prevent fraud by its supporters (Republicans).

Now, nearly a year since Gov. Rick Perry put his signature on the “voter I.D.” law, it is still pitching and rolling in waves of court action.

In March, the U.S. Department of Justice rendered the law unenforceable, freeing voters in the May 29 Texas Primary Election from having to present at the polls an extra government-issued form of personal identification in addition their voter registration card.

On May 8, the Office the Texas Attorney General posted a news release suggesting the Justice Department is engaged in “an ongoing effort to prevent Texas from enforcing its Voter ID law during the November election” and that the federal agency has made “endless discovery requests seeking millions of records that have nothing to do with this case.” A spokesman for the Texas Attorney General said that, however, the plan is to continue to seek “quick resolution.”

Meanwhile, on May 11, the Justice Department announced plans to monitor the May 12 municipal elections in Dallas, Galveston and Jasper counties to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The Justice Department explained that under the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race, color or membership in a minority language group, it may send observers to monitor polling place activities.

Next on the horizon is Texas’ Primary Election Day, May 29. Early voting for it began Monday, May 14, and will continue through May 25. Secretary of State Esperanza “Hope” Andrade, the state’s chief elections officer, in a May 11 news release, addressed possible misunderstandings related to the state’s aforementioned battle with the federal government over the legality of Texas’ voter ID law.

She said photo identification as required by the legislation will not be required in early voting or on Election Day and encouraged “all Texas voters to take full advantage of the ease and flexibility of early voting.”

In lieu of a voter registration card, Andrade said, a voter may present at least one of the following:

•Their Texas Department of Public Safety-issued driver’s license or personal identification card

•A similar document, even if expired, issued by another state;

•A form of identification that contains your photograph and establishes your identity;

• A birth certificate or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and establishes the person’s identity;

•United States citizenship papers;

•United States passport;

• Official mail addressed to you by a governmental entity; or

•A copy of a current utility bill, bank statement, government check, paycheck, or other government document that shows your name and address.

To study what’s on the ballot, go to: votetexas.gov/voting/ what/ <votetexas. gov/voting/what/> or for more information, call 800- 252-VOTE (8683).

Sales tax revenue climbs

Texas Comptroller Susan Combs on May 9 announced state sales tax revenue collected in April was a little more than $2 billion, up almost 11 percent compared to April 2011, and sales tax revenue has increased for 25 consecutive months.

Combs credited increased tax collections and economic growth led by the oil and natural gas-related sectors, buttressed by gains in retail trade and restaurants.

Chief opposes EPA listing

Texas Railroad Commission Chairman Barry Smitherman on May 9 praised the efforts of regulators to keep the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard off the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Endangered Species List.

“The habitat for this lizard happens to be over the richest oilfield in the country, and listing this lizard as endangered would be a disaster for our economy and our energy future, Smitherman said, adding that for the EPA to grant the lizard endangered status “would lead to higher gas prices and more reliance on oil from hostile dictators like Hugo Chavez in Venezuela.”

The Dunes Sagebrush Lizard, measuring 2.5 to 3.0 inches from snout to vent, is found in Texas’ Andrews, Gaines, Yoakum, Cochran, Winkler, Ward and Crane counties, and in southeastern New Mexico.

ED STERLING the Director of Member Services at Texas Press Association.


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