Texas Senate advances bill with new electoral restrictions

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The vote on Senate Bill 7 was 18-13 after more than seven hours of debate and several legislative amendments. The final language of these changes is not yet available online for CNN to review.

Amendments introduced on the floor by Republican State Senator Bryan Hughes during the debate referred to changing the controversial measures included in the original wording of the Bill on Election Observers, Voting Hours, Verification disability and the number of polling stations in the counties.

The bill would ban drive-by voting and limit extended early voting hours.

The measure would also give partisan observers greater authority when observing at a polling place, including the ability to register a voter who receives assistance while casting their ballot.

Democrats and voting rights activists have sounded the alarm over the legislation, calling it repressive and noting that it appears to directly target voting methods used by Harris County, which includes the strongly Democratic city of Houston.

Republicans said the bill is about election security and integrity, even though Texas already has some of the most restrictive election laws in the country and there is no evidence of widespread fraud.

The state already requires a voter to provide an eligible reason for postal voting: being 65 or older, people with disabilities or illness, incarcerated people, or those who will be out of the county during the election. The bill would also prohibit local election officials from sending unsolicited postal ballot requests or encouraging a voter to complete a postal vote request, even if they are eligible.

The bill is now heading to the Texas House of Representatives for committee consideration.

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