Thread by @grace_panetta

I have to say I love the bell they use in the Texas house #txlege

Texas house approves conference committee report of election bill #SB1 80-41 — heads next to the the state senate #txlege

TX house now discussing HR 123, which would express “the sense of the house” towards the the aim of the Cain amendment or Crystal Mason amendment to #SB1 (which was removed in the conference committee) to prevent people for being prosecuted for unknowingly voting while ineligible

Texas House approves HR 123 by a vote 119-4 #txlege

There was a really fascinating bipartisan dialogue between Burrows and @TurnerForTX on the floor of the TX House just now about Crystal Mason’s case and the idea of mens rea in criminal law — both said they wouldn’t have known they couldn’t vote on supervised release either

https://twitter.com/alexazura/status/1432765731947663364

Texas senate now taking up the #SB1 conference committee report #txlege

State Sen. @CarolforTexas, who filibustered for 15 hours against #SB1, addressing bill sponsor @SenBryanHughes: “Senator Hughes, it’s really hard to oppose you because you’re so darn nice.” Says Hughes gave her a stand to put documents, etc on for her speeches

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes .@BorrisLMiles told Hughes he "looks forward" to seeing the results of #SB1 in the next election, tells/warns him the consequences will "be in your hands"
.@RoyceWestTX said people back home in his district "are mad as hell" and adds when people are mad, they turn out to vote.

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes @BorrisLMiles @RoyceWestTX West adds: “This wasn’t on the agenda before Trump started talking about election integrity and all that,” tells Hughes he’s “been a gentleman” and has “handled himself with great decorum” #SB1 #txlege

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes @BorrisLMiles @RoyceWestTX Nearly all the Democratic Senators who have spoken have expressed vehement disagreement with the bill itself while complimenting @SenBryanHughes for his work and the collegial way he's handled/conducted himself in debate #SB1 #txlege

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes @BorrisLMiles @RoyceWestTX .@CesarJBlanco also alluding to future consequences from the legislation, said that based on the new Census numbers "we" (meaning Democrats) "will be running the table pretty soon" in the legislature #SB1 #txlege

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes @BorrisLMiles @RoyceWestTX @CesarJBlanco Texas Senate approves conference committee report for GOP-led elections bill #SB1 (that caused House Democrats to leave the state and break quorum for weeks) by a vote of 18-13. The bill now heads to
@GregAbbott_TX's desk for signature

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes @BorrisLMiles @RoyceWestTX @CesarJBlanco @GregAbbott_TX TX Republicans succeeded in a months-long effort to pass election legislation marked by a 30+ day quorum break by House Dems, threats of arrest, many votes & conference committees, & a 15-hr filibuster
The bill text: lrl.texas.gov/scanned/87ccrs…
My full story: businessinsider.com/texas-gop-pass…

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes @BorrisLMiles @RoyceWestTX @CesarJBlanco @GregAbbott_TX My story has a full rundown of what's in #SB1, but highlights are:
• More standard early voting hours that prohibit 24-hour voting
• Bans drive-thru voting
• ID info required for absentees
• More pollwatcher access
• A cure process for absentees businessinsider.com/texas-gop-pass…

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes @BorrisLMiles @RoyceWestTX @CesarJBlanco @GregAbbott_TX And to clear up what the bill does/doesn't do re: preventing situations like Crystal Mason's, it 1) requires ppl to be informed how a felony conviction will affect their vote 2) prevents conviction "solely" based on someone voting a provisional while unknowingly ineligible

@CarolforTexas @SenBryanHughes @BorrisLMiles @RoyceWestTX @CesarJBlanco @GregAbbott_TX This, the Cain/"Crystal Mason" amendment, was more broadly phrased to cover other kinds of voting someone could do while unknowingly ineligible. It was removed from the bill by a conference committee over concerns abt non-citizen voting (took me a while to get this one straight)