🧵Here's what to know about the bills & how they negatively affect Texas voters w/disabilities:

#SB1 would give poll watchers more authority to watch voters. Poll watchers may misconstrue cues/prompts voters w/disabilities need & think they are doing something illegal #txlege
#SB1 would ban drop boxes for mail-in ballots & would
require receipt “by an election official at the time of delivery.” The official must record the voter’s name, signature, and type of voter ID provided. #txlege #CripTheVote
#SB1 would required applications for a mail-in ballot to be signed "using ink on paper" & prohibit a "photocopied signature." There is no provision for accommodations for voters with disabilities #txlege #CripTheVote
#SB1 would require voters to provide ID #s on their vote-by-mail applications + return carrier envelopes, and if the number they provide doesn't match the number that appears on their voter registration forms, their application/ballot is rejected. #txlege #CripTheVote
#SB1 would allow only a person acting as an assister to a voter can be inside the car when someone is curbside voting

Anyone giving a ride to 3 people at same time must fill out additional form stating their name, address & if assisting or just driving #txlege #CripTheVote
#SB1 would require assisters to fill out a new form w/ their name, address, relationship to the voter, & whether they are receiving or accepting “any form of compensation or other benefit from a candidate, campaign, or political committee.” #txlege #CripTheVote
#SB1 would make assisters take an oath “under penalty of perjury," making assisters either less comfortable helping voters w/disabilities or making mistakes a criminal offense #txlege #CripTheVote
#SB1 would require an assister to state under oath that the voter “represented to me they are eligible to receive assistance because of a physical disability that renders the voter unable to write or see or an inability to read the language in which the ballot is written.”
#SB1 would limit assisters help & they cannot “answering the voter’s questions … stating propositions on the ballot, and ... naming candidates and, if listed, their political parties.” Many voters w/disabilities need these accommodations to participate in democracy #txlege
#HB3 has many of the same harmful provisions for voters w/disabilities. It also would boosts the penalty of the providing assistance offenses to a state jail felony in all cases v. a misdemeanor #txlege #CripTheVote
#HB3 would also creates a new perjury criminal offense for false assistant oaths. This is essentially #VoterSuppression, since fewer assisters may be willing to help. Assisters can be the difference b/t a disabled Texan voting or missing out on their #CivilRights to #CripTheVote

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More from @TheArcofTexas

1 Sep
🧵 Here's your #txlege #SB1 update for September 1, 2021 and how it affects #DisabilityRights.

We're covering the enrolled bill waiting to be signed by Gov. Abbott capitol.texas.gov/tlodocs/872/bi…
There are still issues w/ the final version, but 1st ...

📣 THANK YOU allies who elevated the concerns of Texas voters w/disabilities @MOVE_texas @naswtx_advocacy @TXCivilRights @TxDisabilities @DisRightsTx + all the individuals who gave testimony
📣 THANK YOU #txlege allies who worked to remove provisions in the legislation that would negatively affect Texans w/disabilities @BucyForTexas @CarolforTexas @JudithZaffirini @DiegoBernalTX @RafaelAnchia @beverlypowelltx @TurnerForTX @RepMaryGonzalez @sarah_eckhardt
Read 8 tweets
23 Aug
🧵 Here's our big thread on #SB1 and the provisions that will make it more difficult for Texans with disabilities to exercise their #CivilRights and participate in democracy #txlege #CripTheVote
❌ Section 4.01 (5.01 in HB 3): “Wet” signatures

Mail-in ballot signatures must be “ink on paper” and does not allow for electronic or photocopied signatures. This potentially violates #ADA bc it does not accommodate Texans who cannot physically sign because of a disability
❌Section 4.11 (5.08 in HB 3) Any known signature verification

Mail-in ballot signature can be compared with ANY known signature of voter by signature verification committee. Many voters with disabilities have inconsistent signatures due to their disability.
Read 9 tweets
12 Aug
🧵 Our member Courtney P. of the Dallas area wanted to provide her testimony in opposition fo #SB1 during Monday's committee hearing. She lives with paralysis due to a progressive health condition and wanted to share how important the democratic process is to her #txlege
People w/disabilities are at higher risk of contracting #COVID19 and facing severe illness. The surge of cases in Austin means it would be unsafe for Courtney to travel to Austin, which is why she requested to testify virtually. #txlege #SB1
Courtney's request to give virtual testimony to the committee wasn't granted, but allies like @beverlypowelltx & @TeamZaffirini made sure they received her printed testimony that day.

Even so, Courtney missed a chance to speak her own words in her own way. #txlege #SB1
Read 13 tweets
9 Aug
🧵While we're waiting for the #txlege #SB1 hearing to resume, here's some background on why some of the voters most affected by it can't provide testimony in person. #CripTheVote
People w/disabilities are more likely to get very sick if they get #COVID19. Cases of #COVID19 are high in Austin.

In fact, cases are so high that #txlege Senate requires people to test negative for #COVID19 before entering a hearing room.
Unfortunately, this testing only at the Capitol isn't enough protection for disabled Texans w/ higher #COVID19 risks. It doesn't account for Texans who need to travel long distances, or rely on others for travel needs. Each move is potential exposure #txlege #CripTheVote
Read 10 tweets
30 May
🧵Y'all still awake? #txlege is about to discuss the omnibus voting bill #SB7 in a few minutes, and it almost seems like some folks hope you're asleep! Here's what you need to know about the latest version of #SB7 and why it's bad for Texas voters w/disabilities #CripTheVote
Although #SB7 dropped the Dr.'s note to prove a voter's disability to qualify for mail-in ballots, the latest version requires Texans requesting to vote by mail bc of disability to disclose illness/injury/mental or physical disability. That's not an improvement. #CripTheVote
After disclosing personal medical information, #SB7 requires a mail-in ballot requester to give a driver license/social security #/or statement that the individual doesn't have these. That's up to 2 separate declaration requirements for a disabled voter #CripTheVote
Read 19 tweets
6 May
🚨 URGENT ACTION ALERT! 🚨

Help your fellow Texas voters in 2 minutes and send a message to the #txlege asking they to VOTE NO on Texas #HB6 and #SB7.

These bills negatively affect Texas voters w/ disabilities, and they are being heard THURSDAY, MAY 6. bit.ly/VotingBills
Wondering what the problems are with #txlege #HB6 #SB7? Well ...

🚨Some voters with disabilities need assistance to cast a ballot, and legislation that asks for assisters to fill out forms (and run the risk doing it wrong and facing legal ramifications) is #VoterSuppression
🚨Poll workers, who may not be familiar with support for Texans with intellectual and developmental disabilities, may misunderstand cuing, prompting, and other ways people comprehend and remember information as abuse or exploitation of the voter #txlege
Read 6 tweets

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