MARCH 25, THIS WEEK’S ELECTION INTEGRITY BILLS:
House Bill HB 6 and Senate Bill SB 7 are the major Republican Election Integrity Bills.
We need activist support for both HB 6 in the House and SB 7 in the Senate by testimony in-person if possible, written testimony, emails, and phone calls!
How to help: Quick Tips for Activists on Impacting Bills in the Texas Legislature
Who to contact: Texas 87th Legislature: Election Integrity Committee members and contact information
House Elections Committee Hearing: Thursday, March 25, at 8 AM in room E2.028
HB 6 is the main Republican Election
Integrity bill, although there are many other good and bad bills related to
elections. Highlights of HB 6:
- Requires tracking ballot numbers for auditing and security
- Strengthens poll watchers, improving transparency and integrity
- Improves security of electronic voting media (memory sticks and disks)
- Requires election law training for county workers so they administer the election legally
- Increases information collected on voter assistance to reduce coercion and fraud
- Increases penalties for improper voter assistance
- Increases penalties for fraudulent voters, such as those voting in two states
- Increases penalties for illegal ballot harvesting
- Adds penalties for election officials who illegally distribute mail-in ballot applications
- Adds penalties for election officials who illegally alter election procedures
- Directs the state’s attorney and courts to prioritize election matters for timely hearings
We need activists to express support FOR HB 6!
Senate State Affairs Committee Hearing: 9:00 AM, Friday, March 26, 2021 at the Capitol Extension Auditorium, E1.004
SB 7 This is the main
Republican Election Integrity bill in the Senate.
Democrats delayed the hearing that was scheduled for Monday, March 22, but it has been re-scheduled for Friday.
Some points to make in support of SB 7
are
1. Encourages in-person voting, which is more
secure
2. Prohibits public officials
from distributing un-requested vote-by-mail applications
3. Increases poll watcher access
(improved transparency)
4. Caps private funding of
election officials and government agencies
