Gutierrez, Hall and the Texas secretary of state's office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick: Statement on the Passage of Senate Bill 9 Perhaps it goes without saying but producing quality journalism isn't cheap. "Senate Bill 1 is a regressive step back in the direction of that dark and painful history.". The move paved the way for Republicans to establish a quorum, and set off a round of finger-pointing and backbiting among Democrats in the state. U.S. Rep. Mayes Middleton (R-TX) (C) of the Texas Freedom Caucus addresses the media in the Texas Capitol on July 13, 2021 in Austin, Texas. Abbott spokesperson Renae Eze on Tuesday reemphasized the governor's preference for a tax-cut proposal that only sends money to school districts to lower their tax rates, which could craft a path to eventually eliminating the school maintenance and operations tax the bulk of a typical school property tax bill and something the state's conservative Republicans have long wanted to get rid of. Greg Abbott ends. Four Senate Democrats were present in the chamber for the debate. Texas is one of several Republican-led states including Iowa, Georgia and Florida that have moved since the 2020 presidential contest to pass new laws governing elections and restricting voting. The new Senate proposal pitched by state Sen. Paul Bettencourt, a Houston-area Republican and the Senates point person on property tax cuts would provide targeted tax relief to Texas homeowners, send state dollars to school districts so they can cut their tax rates and give more businesses a break on their franchise tax bills. Still, the bill includes a provision that could make overturning an election easier. The burden of rising property taxes weighs heavily on our states property owners, and it is imperative that we look beyond the current special session to identify long-term, sustainable solutions to this evergreen problem, Phelan said in a statement. New Mexico's Legislature added Juneteenth as an official state holiday in 2006, . The Houston Democrat was on her feet speaking, not allowed to sit or lean against her desk, and unable to take bathroom breaks or drink water, since Wednesday evening. One measure would allow schools to adopt policies requiring time for students and employees to participate in prayer and Bible reading. 2023 CNBC LLC. The Texas House, which did not move to suspend the 24-hour rule, is likely to vote on the bill . He has written about government, criminal justice and the role of money in politics for The Times since 2012. The Senate's election bill, SB1, passed 18 to 4 after several hours of debate Tuesday afternoon. Please don't let our pleas fall on deaf ears here in Congress.". Sign up for free newsletters and get more CNBC delivered to your inbox. It will go into effect on Sept. 1. The Texas state Senate on Thursday passed a voting bill that imposes sweeping changes to the way the state conducts elections, following a 15-hour filibuster by a lawmaker who . The impetus is both Republicans desire to appease their base, much of which continues to believe former President Donald J. Trumps lies about a stolen election, and the partys worries about a changing electorate that could threaten the G.O.P.s longtime grip on power in places like Texas, the second-biggest state in the country. Lawmakers also tweaked the oath that someone signs if they assist a voter; clarified the definition of ballot harvesting; and added another form of allowable ID for requesting a mail-in ballot. It raised the national profiles of the Democrats who took to Washington to call for federal voting rights legislation, their only real hope of countering the Republican measures in Texas. In fact, except for Texas, all states . I tell Republicans all the time, You may have the votes, but were all equal in federal court, so dont delete any emails, said State Representative Trey Martinez Fischer, a Democrat who organized the effort to leave the state. How much suppression's okay? Democrats took refuge first outside Texas and then, when some returned, furtively within their homes or in undisclosed locations in the state. None. The $12.7 . Get this delivered to your inbox, and more info about our products and services. The Texas Senate on Thursday approved a bill to ban countywide voting on Election Day, part of a pattern of legislation aimed at tightening election laws in red-leaning states. There has been no proof of widespread voter fraud in Texas during the 2020 election. Got a confidential news tip? The Republican-led bill, which would toughen already stringent voting rules in Texas, is likely to pass the State House. "We are here to implore Congress to pass sweeping voting rights legislation. Companies like American Airlines, Dell Technologies and Microsoft spoke out against the Texas legislation soon after the bill was introduced, but the pressure has been largely ineffective so far. Were going to be able to buy beer at 10 oclock in the morning, but we cant vote until one oclock, Senator West said. Ahead of her filibuster, Alvarado acknowledged the bill would eventually pass in the Senate but framed her effort under the same use every tool in the toolbox mantra House Democrats have adopted during their quorum break targeting the legislation. Texas has some of the highest property taxes in the nation, and the states top Republicans have been at odds for months over how to cut them a standoff that intensified in late May as Abbott entered the fray. The target of her efforts was Senate Bill 1, the GOP's priority bill that would place new restrictions on voting that many opponents say would disproportionately suppress ballots from voters of color and disabled voters. The state law overriding local ordinances, House Bill 2127, won't go into effect until Sept. 1, but it comes amid growing concerns about heat waves in Texas, including one that residents are . Parker's bill echoes theU.S. Supreme Courtruling from June that affirmed a former Washington state high school football coach's right to pray on the field right after games. Senate Bill 990, which passed on a party-line vote, would require people to vote at their assigned precinct on Election Day rather than at countywide voting centers. The bill, which will tighten what were already some of the nations strictest voting rules, represents a major victory for Republicans in their nationwide push to overhaul elections. Best Debt Consolidation Loans for Bad Credit, Personal Loans for 580 Credit Score or Lower, Personal Loans for 670 Credit Score or Lower. The Senate had previously passed its version of the bill, but because the House made some revisions to the Senate bill, it was sent back to the Senate for the author of the bill, Mr. Hughes, to concur. Join them to get their take on whats next for Texas and the nation. This bill would create an endowment fund of about $2.5 billion accessible to Texas State University, Texas Tech University, the University of Houston, and the . We want to hear from you. AUSTIN, Texas The Texas Senate on Tuesday passed what Lt. Gov. Biden lays out "new path" for student loan relief after Supreme Court decision, Supreme Court strikes down Biden's student loan forgiveness plan, Alan Arkin, Oscar-winning "Little Miss Sunshine" actor, dies at 89. Pushed under Texas Republicans mantle of election integrity, SB 1 enhances partisan poll watchers freedoms inside polling locations and sets new rules and possible criminal penalties for those who assist voters, including those with disabilities, in casting their ballots. The first 30-day special session expired in early August without any vote. First published on August 31, 2021 / 5:37 PM. Show us with your support. Greg Abbott followed through with his threat to veto a large number of bills in the absence of a House-Senate compromise on property taxes. 7, proved to be an amalgamation of two omnibus voting bills that had worked their way through the states Legislature. Also unclear is how the bill would pass both chambers since the House has already adjourned for the remainder of the special session. The other, sponsored by state Sen. Tan Parker that garnered broad bipartisan support, would ensure school employees' rights to "engage in religious speech or prayer while on duty.". His office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. None. she asked. It also bars election officials from sending voters unsolicited absentee ballot applications and from promoting the use of vote by mail. "This bill was just the last and latest of Trump Republicans attacks on democracy across Texas and our nation," said Rep. Ron Reynolds, one of the Democrats who fled, at a news conference Wednesday. I hereby certify that S.B. Voting rights groups have long pointed to Texas as one of the hardest states in the country for voters to cast ballots. Amid a dangerous heatwave that has brought blistering temperatures across Texas, the state's governor signed a law this . The bill also prohibits local election officials from sending unsolicited applications to request a mail-in ballot, even to voters 65 and older who automatically qualify to vote by mail, or providing applications to local groups helping to get out the vote. 2023-06-20. Abbott has said that he looks forward to signing . As the White House and national Democrats work together to minimize election integrity, the Texas Legislature continues to fight for accessible and secure elections, State Senator Bryan Hughes, one of the bills sponsors, said in a statement. Republican State Senator Bryan Hughes, the bill's author, said the bill cracks down on the potential for cheating and touted the expanded early voting hours in some counties and opportunities for voters to fix small issues with their mail-in ballots. @NYTnickc Facebook, A version of this article appears in print on, Texas Senate Passes One of the Nations Strictest Voting Bills, https://www.nytimes.com/2021/05/29/us/politics/texas-voting-bill.html. Dan Patrick is calling "the largest property tax cut in the history of the world." Senate Bill 26 (SB26), by Houston Republican . Patrick and Senate tax-cut proponents balked at the all-compression proposal and argued that any tax-cut package must include special relief for homeowners via a boost in the states homestead exemption on school district taxes, or the slice of a homes value that cant be taxed to pay for public schools. Fri 23 Jun 2023 18.38 EDT. It targets voters of color and voters with disabilities, in a state thats already the most difficult place to vote in the country.. "The fact is that there were no issues with countywide polling sites open on Election Day," Gutierrez said. Abbott signed it Tuesday. Texas Legislature Online - Bill Lookup Republican poll watchers have been egged on in particular by Mr. Trump, who implored them to go to major cities across the country and hunt for nonexistent voter fraud. The passage of SB 1 in the Senate is the latest strike in Republicans struggle to clamp down on the states voting process, which has now extended into a second round of legislative overtime. And you will be responsible for the consequences., Representative Andrew Murr, the Republican sponsor in the House, defended the legislation on Friday, in a voice nearly hoarse from hours of debate. The list of bills revived by Mr. Abbott, who faces re-election next year and, for the first time in his 25-year career in elected office, serious primary challenges from fellow Republicans features priorities of the G.O.P.s most staunch supporters. The legislation takes aim in particular at Harris County, a growing Democratic bastion that includes Houston and is the nations third most populous county. He was one of the lead reporters covering Donald Trump's campaign for president in 2016 and has been writing about presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and mayoral campaigns for The Times since 2011. You largely did what you wanted in this bill, Representative Senfronia Thompson, a Houston Democrat, told her Republican colleagues in the State House before the previous vote on the bill on Friday. It also expanded weekday early voting by one hour and added a provision allowing voters to fix problems with absentee ballots. Nick Corasaniti covers national politics. Republicans have pressed forward with those changes even as advocates for people with disabilities have continued to warn that the wording of SB 1 risks disenfranchising the voters who lawmakers claim they want to protect by limiting the assistance voters with disabilities could receive and potentially subjecting those helping them to increased penalties for mistakes. This is about as win-win-win as you can get, Bettencourt said Tuesday on the Senate floor. The Senate signed off on an amendment to allow voters to address those issues online instead of requiring them to visit their county elections office in person. Texas Senate passes bill requiring public school classrooms to - CNN Aug. 11, 2021 And I think that thats where we are.. a key part of the Voting Rights Act in 2013, the nonpartisan Leadership Conference Education Fund, a notably conservative regular legislative session, for the first time in his 25-year career in elected office. Senate Bill 9, which now includes that option, . Dan Patrick, flanked by Senate Republicans and Democrats during a press conference following the vote, called on the House to return to the Capitol in Austin in the remaining days of the special legislative session to rubber-stamp the proposal. In a bid to provide more tax relief to businesses like Abbott and Phelan want, the new Senate package expands the pool of businesses that receive a state franchise tax exemption. The initial Senate plan raised the exemption to $70,000 for all homeowners and up to $100,000 for seniors and the disabled. Opponents argued, however, that the secretary of state had debunked all claims of voter fraud. Texas Senate outlasts 15-hour filibuster by Sen. Carol Alvarado to pass GOP voting-restrictions bill The Houston Democrat was on her feet speaking, not allowed to sit or lean against her. State Sen. Carol Alvarado in the 14th hour of her filibuster. In the final days of the legislative session, Texas Democrats walked out of the House before the midnight. Alvarado filled the time by recounting portions of the history of the fight for voting rights, reading testimony on the bill that her office collected from the public and going over portions of the bill in excruciating detail with assists from Democratic Senate colleagues who took turns asking her lengthy questions, often speaking at a much slower tempo than usual, throughout the night and morning in what appeared at times to be a largely empty Senate chamber. The Texas state Capitol, seen on July 31, 2021, in Austin, Texas. SB 1 is the Senates revived effort to restrict voting by forbidding local officials from taking various steps to make voting more accessible and further tightening the vote-by-mail process. More than 150companies, including Amazon, Target and PepsiCo, also backed updating the Voting Rights Act in a new letter released Wednesday.
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