Take Action - Election Integrity bills stalled in the House
April 18, 2023 | Austin, TX
A whole string of election integrity legislation has passed through the Texas Senate and was referred to the House for action. The bills have not seen any movement so far in the House. Most of the bills were filed by our own Senator Paul Bettencourt (SD 7), Senator Lois Kolkhorst (SD 18), Representative Cecil Bell (HD 3), and Representative Steve Toth (HD 15).
After polling places in Houston famously failed to provide enough ballots for the 2022 elections, disenfranchising many voters, the problems with our elections systems would seem apparent.
It's time to make some noise!
SB 1039 by Senator Bettencourt creates a civil procedure that requires local election officials to respond to complaints about election irregularities. If officials fail to respond, complaints could be escalated to the Secretary of State, who could order an audit or, in extreme circumstances, appoint a conservator to manage the local elections office. Companion bill, HB 2536 by Representative Steve Toth, awaits attention in the House Elections Committee.
SB 1911 by Senator Bettencourt increases the penalties for three offenses: intentionally failing to deliver election supplies to a polling place, obstructing distribution of election supplies, and revealing election results before polls close. This bill has no companion in the House.
SB 1933 by Senator Bettencourt authorizes the Secretary of State to conduct additional random election audits in smaller counties and, where recurring problems are identified, to order administrative oversight or state conservatorship of the county’s elections office. Current law prescribes audits every two years of two large and two small counties selected at random. HB 5131 by Representative Bell is the companion bill in the House.
Two other Bettencourt bills passed the Senate on April 6 and have been awaiting action by the House since April 11:
SB 1907 increases the criminal penalty for failing to deliver precinct election returns by the statutory deadline and allows the Secretary of State’s office to supervise completion of the returns.
SB 1950 prohibits an election official from suspending any mail-ballot acceptance requirements.
SB 260 by Sen. Lois Kolkhorst and passed by the Senate, clarifies the process for county voter registrars to confirm the residence of voters who register at non-residential addresses or haven’t voted in the last two federal election cycles.
TAKE ACTION
Contact members of the House Elections Committee. Urge them to pass these important bills in the House.
Rep. Reggie Smith, Chair
(512) 463-0297
Email
Rep. John H. Bucy lll, Vice Chair
(512) 463-0696
Email
Rep. Dustin Burrows
(512) 463-0542
Email
Rep. Giovanni Capriglione
(512) 463-0690
Email
Rep. Mano DeAyala
(512) 463-0514
Email
Rep. Christian Manuel
(512) 463-0662
Email
Rep. Eddie Morales
(512) 463-0566
Email
Rep. Valoree Swanson
(512) 463-0572
Email
Rep. Hubert Vo
(512) 463-0568
Email