Texas Senate holds first public budget hearing of new legislative session
The Senate Finance Committee held its first public hearing of the legislative session on Monday. The All Funds budget, which includes federal funds, is $288.7 billion, including the $130.1 billion in General Fund (state) dollars — an increase of $11.9 billion from the previous session. The House of Representatives will soon appoint members to the House Appropriations Committee. When organized, House Appropriations will undergo a similar process hearing from all state agencies and also seeking input from the public. The Senate Finance Committee has public hearings scheduled on SB 1 from Monday through Friday, Feb. 17.
myrgv.com‘We had a success story,’ Mail ballot rejections plummeted in May 7 election
Though more Bexar County voters voted by mail in the May 7 election than had in the Mar. 1 primary, the preliminary mail ballot rejection rate of 3% was far lower than the 21.7% that left thousands of ballots uncounted two months earlier.
New Texas election law requires 24-hour video cameras for paper ballots
A little-known provision within the new Texas election law will require 24-hour surveillance cameras to be used whenever paper ballots are being tallied in counties with populations of 100,000 people or more, like Bexar County. Taxpayers will have to bear the cost of the new equipment, officials say.
Gov. Greg Abbott signs Texas voting bill into law, overcoming Democratic quorum breaks
SB 1 makes up Republicans’ third attempt to pass a far-reaching law that restricts how and when voters cast ballots. It takes particular aim at voting initiatives used in diverse, Democratic Harris County in the 2020 election.
Before the legislation is even signed, Texas’ new voting rules are challenged in two federal lawsuits
Harris County joined a coalition of community and advocacy groups filing lawsuits over Senate Bill 1, arguing the far-reaching rewrite of Texas voting laws violates the U.S. Constitution and numerous federal laws and will suppress voters.
Republican bill tightening Texas election laws is headed to Gov. Greg Abbott's desk
Senate Bill 1 rewrites Texas election laws to further restrict the voting-by-mail process and outlaw local voting initiatives meant to widen access, namely those pushed by Harris County that were disproportionately used by voters of color.
LETTERS: Voting bill criticized
Special sessions that are called to adopt specific desired results demonstrate a failure in state leadership. Election reform should not be ramrodded through the process when our fundamental right to vote in Texas is at stake. Legislators are not listening to what voters truly want.
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