The Texas Senate is considering elections omnibus bill, #SB1, on the floor right now. Author @SenBryanHughes says there will be some amendments informed by input by election officials and Democrats. Watch live here: #txlege tlcsenate.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.ph…
Sounds like one of the upcoming amendments to #SB1 by @SenRoyceWest will be to add the Barbara Jordan Fair Elections Act, #SB71 in 87(2). #txlege
https://twitter.com/SenRoyceWest/status/1425522615100313600
Amendment 1 by @SenBryanHughes removes the 100K bracket for counties to optionally hav video surveillance of central counting, clarifies that the early voting ballot board is part of signature verification cmte & removes Sec. 2.04 on the vote tabulation machines. Adopted. #txlege
Amendment 2 by Hughes affects recovery of costs of fees, damages and timelines for civil suits in #SB1. One part of it removes attorney fees from what recovery in voter harvesting suits. #txlege
👀 Sen. Carol Alvarado, Chair of the TX Sen. Dem Caucus, is planning on filibustering the GOP elections omnibus bill, #SB1. #txlege
https://twitter.com/CarolforTexas/status/1425528821336379394
Floor Amdmnt 3 by @NathanForTexas codifies online voter registration in the limited situation when renewing driver licenses.
Hughes wants to be cautious & let DPS continue to implement the current program, which was mandated by the courts last year. It fails 11-18. #SB1 #txlege
Hughes wants to be cautious & let DPS continue to implement the current program, which was mandated by the courts last year. It fails 11-18. #SB1 #txlege
Floor Amendment 4 by Bettencourt on early voting ballot boards is adopted. Will check back to see what the change was. #txlege #SB1
Floor amendment 5 by @TeamZaffirini makes an error or omission on mail ballot envelopes (re: d/l # or SSN provisions) is added to the list of defects that is in the cure process for the bill. Acceptable to the author. Adopted. #SB1 #txlege
Floor amendment 6 by Bettencourt was in response to testimony from @TxDisabilities. It will add to the electronic mail ballot tracking system passed in the regular session to also include the option to add or correct info on the mail ballot. Adopted. #SB1 #txlege
Floor amendment 7 by @TeamZaffirini will direct the @TXsecofstate to study which educational programs could be effective to improve disability voter turnout. This was also in response to testimony by disability advocates. Acceptable to the author. Adopted. #txlege #SB1
Floor amendment 8 by Hinojosa to change the standard of proof to clear and convince evidence in civil suits in #SB1. Fails 11-18. #txlege
Amndmnt 10 by Hinojosa aims to protect ppl like Crystal Mason who committed voter fraud by accident.
Hughes points to provision, originally added by Ds in regular session, requiring judges to put in writing someone is ineligible to vote at time of felony conviction. #txlege #SB1
Hughes points to provision, originally added by Ds in regular session, requiring judges to put in writing someone is ineligible to vote at time of felony conviction. #txlege #SB1
Floor amendment 10 fails with 18 votes against. #txlege #SB1
https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1425539915689902086
Floor amndmnt 11 by @SenRoyceWest et al. would add the Barbara Jordan Fair Elections Act (#SB71), which has things like same day voter registration, online voter registration, no-excuse voting-by-mail, VBM apps can be submitted online & polling place @ unis/colleges. #txlege #SB1
Correction to our tweet (
https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1425532587179757570): @NathanForTexas's floor amendment 3 to #SB1, which failed to pass, would've expanded Texas online voter registration program to anyone who has a Texas D/L or state ID. Thanks Sen. #txlege
https://twitter.com/NathanForTexas/status/1425541778250375173
Hughes opposes the amendment b/c he wants it the many provisions to go through the cmte process. Recall this wasn't heard in cmte last special session and isn't yet scheduled for a hearing this special session. Floor amendment 11 fails 7-18. #txlege #SB1
https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1425542424512839689
Floor amendment 12 by @SenRoyceWest would have the @TXsecofstate to conduct a disparity study on the provisions of #SB1 and report back to #txlege. This would show whether there is a disparate impact on racial groups, ppl w/disabilities etc.
Hughes opposes the amendment b/c he doesn't know if the @TXsecofstate is set up to do the study & says he doesn't know enough about the amendment. He did admit we should look into this. The amendment to do a disparity study of #SB1 fails 7-18. #txlege
https://twitter.com/RANewsTX/status/1425545447809114112
Texas Senate gives initial approval to the elections omnibus bill #SB1, as amended, by a vote of 7-18.
Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick says the Senate will soon adjourn and come back for third readings (for final passage) today. That would be when Alvarado's filibuster will start. #txlege
Lt. Gov. @DanPatrick says the Senate will soon adjourn and come back for third readings (for final passage) today. That would be when Alvarado's filibuster will start. #txlege
We're on closing speeches on #SB1. The other Dems are speaking against the bill before @CarolforTexas who is planning on filibustering it. #txlege
In his closing speech supporting the bill, @TeamBettencourt says the House Dem walkout has done nothing to advance #SB1 (and improve it), but it was the committee process. He cites his own amendment in response to testimony from @TxDisabilities. #txlege
Hughes defends the provision allowing poll watchers to be "near enough to see and hear" election activity by saying the language is self-explanatory. It won't unleash poll watchers on voters, he says. "That's hogwash." #txlege #SB1
Hughes: If you're voting against #SB1, you're voting against working ppl getting off work early to vote early (current law only prohibits employers from preventing that for election day but SB1 extends it to early voting), you're voting against mail ballot cure process. #txlege
Sen. @CarolforTexas (D-Houston) has begun her filibuster on #SB1, the GOP elections omnibus bill. Her comments must only be germane to the bill and cannot sit, lean on her desk or leave the chamber to go to the bathroom. #txlege
.@CarolforTexas reads a statement on the floor by Sen. @Menendez4Texas, where he discloses he tested positive for #COVID19 and is quarantining. This is why he hasn't been able to be in committee hearings or on the floor this week. #txlege
Background: expressnews.com/news/local/art…
After nearly 15 hours, @CarolforTexas sounds like she's about to end her filibuster on the elections bill saying "as this discussion draws to a close". #SB1 #txlege
After nearly 15 hours, Sen. @CarolforTexas (D-Houston) ends her filibuster on the GOP elections bill, #SB1, defending Harris County's use of drive-thru voting and 24-hr voting. "Voting suppression anywhere is a threat to democracy everywhere." #txlege 
Texas Senate is back in session. Hughes calls for a final vote on the elections omnibus bill #SB1. It passes 18-11 along party lines.
Now, the bill heads to the House, which can't accept it until it reaches quorum. #txlege
Now, the bill heads to the House, which can't accept it until it reaches quorum. #txlege
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