Texas: House approves voter I.D. bill
AP reports: Texans would be required to show more identification at the voting booth to prove they are who they say they are under a measure that won preliminary approval in the state House on Monday.
Existing state law allows voters to simply show their voter registration card or, if they don't have it, show identification to have their name matched to voter registry rolls.
The proposal by Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell, would require voters to produce photo identification or two other forms of non-photo identification at a polling place. Brown said she wants to prevent voter impersonation and to keep "illegal aliens, non-citizens" and other ineligible residents from voting.
"Voting is the most basic building block of our system of representative democracy," Brown said. "Voter impersonation is a serious crime."
After six hours of tense debate, the House voted 76-68 to tentatively approve Brown's proposal. It would still need a final House vote and Senate approval before it could be enacted into law. -- Times Record News: Local News