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Texas Republicans introduced two election bills this weekend in a special session, as they strive to pass sweeping legislation that would impose a number of restrictions on the ballot box.
Members of the Texas legislature have fought over the measures as Republicans scramble to pass an election redesign bill that Democrats fiercely oppose.
State Democrats staged a walkout in May, leaving the House floor on the last night of the legislative session to prevent passage of a controversial voting bill, which called for adding new obstacles to the government. vote in future elections and to limit the availability of certain voting methods. which are mainly used by low income people and people with disabilities.
Texas lawmakers returned to the State Capitol last week to kick off a special session that includes a dossier filled with conservative priorities, including an overhaul of the state’s electoral rules.
Republican members of the state House and Senate began reducing those priorities over the weekend, proposing two bills on committees that call for a ban on 24-hour voting and a ban on drive-thru voting, two strategies that were widely used in the 2020 election to help people vote during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Washington Post.
The state Senate voted by party to advance Senate Bill 1 in committee Sunday afternoon, from 6 to 3, according to the Post.
The State Chamber advanced House Bill 3 to committee early Sunday morning in a 9-5 vote, following a hearing that ran from Saturday night through Sunday, the Post reported.
The votes came after hundreds of Texans arrived at the State Capitol to vote on the bills, many of whom were in opposition, according to the newspaper.
The laws were ultimately adjusted to omit two of the most controversial measures: banning early voting before 1 p.m. on Sunday and making it easier for judges to overturn an election, the Post reported.
However, Texas Democrats are now reportedly considering leaving the state to block passage of the Election Redesign Bill, similar to their walkout in May.
People familiar with the talks told the New York Times that there had been early conversations about how Democrats could escape Texas and not have to return to the State Capitol to temporarily block passage of the law Project.
Democrats who back the move say the plan could shine a light on voting rights in Texas. The group also said it could increase pressure on Democrats in the U.S. Senate to pass voting rights reforms.
Texas is one of many Republican-led states that see a push to pass sweeping electoral reforms after the 2020 presidential election.
Arizona, Florida, and Georgia have all passed their own electoral reshuffle laws.
Last month the Attorney General Merrick garland
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