Texas Bill Would Require Proof Of Citizenship To Vote

The Texas Tribune reports:

With unanimous Republican support, the Texas Senate appears poised to pass a priority bill requiring Texans to prove their citizenship before they could vote in state, local, and presidential elections.

Senate Bill 16, which would apply to new registrants as well as existing registered voters who did not provide proof of citizenship when they registered. That would include voters who registered through a voter registration drive or by mail, rather than while obtaining a Texas drivers license or state ID through the Department of Public Safety.

Voters who don’t provide proof of citizenship would be placed on a separate voter roll and could cast ballots only in U.S. House and Senate races. Voters on that list wouldn’t be allowed to vote for president under the bill, which experts say could invite a legal challenge. SB 16 is co-authored by Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Republican from Central Texas who championed Texas’ sweeping 2021 voting bill.

Read the full article.

Last month a federal appeals court struck down Arizona’s proof of citizenship to vote law.

Hughes [photo] appeared here in April 2023 for his bill that would defund public libraries that host Drag Queen Story Hour.

In March 2023, he appeared here for his bill to raise taxes on bars that host drag shows. A Texas lesbian bar was then denied insurance.

In 2022, Hughes appeared here when his bill to force public schools to display “In God We Trust” posters went into effect.

In 2021, he appeared here for his bill banning criticism of white supremacy in history lessons.