A good number of points of order will be raised tomorrow on GOP voter suppression bill

[LetMyPeopleVote]

The Texas House and Senate came up with a new voter suppression bill. Normally when you reconcile a bill in committee, you either accept or delete provisions in either bill. Here the GOP came up with a brand new bill that has a number of new provisions that were not in either of the prior Senate or House bill. The Texas Democrats have been using points of order to kill some nasty GOP bills. For example this young man has been very effective in using points of order

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Tomorrow the House Democrats have identified a good number of inappropriate provisions and will be raising a ton of points of order

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This will be fun to watch

[Mersky]

1. More need to see this

Thanks for posting.

[Mersky]

2. "Tx Senate is going to end up voting in the middle of the night to ban voting in middle of the night

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Best reply possible:

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[TexasTowelie]

3. It will only be fun to watch if the Democrats kill the bill.

Republicans will do anything to rig the vote.

[Mersky]

4. Last minute shoehorning-in changes bullshit from the TX GQP

Did not consult majority minority members or those in districts that will be effected by the changes (Houston, especially) — Sen Alvarado did a great job emphasizing how SB7 is really about targeting the successes in Houston with measures to facilitate voting during the pandemic.

Legislating in the shadows and lacking transparency or opportunity for the public to review in any reasonable way. That they did not consult with any majority minority committee member. — points made by Tx Sen. Powell who also pressed him on whether any outside counsel, attorneys, or groups were present for the drafting of the conference committee’s, eh, report. He said they didn’t meet in person, but didn’t know what every conference member did.

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I’m reading through the resolution, and it’s nuts. Suspending the rules to insert/change language (substantially in some areas) and leaving out unanimously approved considerations.

[Mersky]

5. Sen. Borris Miles facing the official excuse maker for these unprecedented racist weasel tactics:

You don’t know how things work in my community. Not everybody has a car. A neighbor down the street could take three generations of people to the polls.

Have you ever experienced racism or discrimination? Why didn’t you talk to any of the minority members as subject matter experts?

— “It doesn’t matter because it applies to everyone.”

Respectfully my brother, we rely on each other, but we were not brought into the conversation. No matter color of lipstick you put on a pig, it’s still a pig.

My district considers SB7 Jim Crow 2.0. It’s 2021, why are we letting people roll back the hands of time? Called on all those listening this early morning to show up and show out at the ballot.

[Mersky]

6. Whitmire is now up and making the excuser testy. Ha.

He’s pushing back at the garbage slung at Harris County. Asking has any winning candidate disputed the results of their elections?

Asks him where are there any counties that justify some of the crap added in?

How does 10 instances of voter fraud over YEARS justify this or that voter suppression measure?

[Mersky]

7. Five minute break ongoing

Ugh.

[Mersky]

8. Interesting. Why isn't there a provision for internet posting of election results by counties?

Nope, not included in the conference committee’s version. Apparently, the House had a lot of ‘stuff’ on the matter in theirs.

[Mersky]

9. Sen Eckhardt landed a huge blow

The bill has zero funds allocated for cyber security, and the conference committee didn’t pen any in during their opaque process.

[Mersky]

10. Now, she's going into one of the larger sections plunked-in by the conference committee

Last edited Sun May 30, 2021, 06:49 AM - Edit history (1)

And how it penalizes large voter registration roll counties. In particular Travis County, her district has 90% voter registration - how do you get an accurate count when there’s a highly mobile student population?

And, omg, apparently there will be a statewide voter registration that automatically transfers registration upon moving - which is a good idea, but! And here’s the part the conference committee weasels added: Instead of using it to coordinate or help out county registrars, it can be used to force audits, punishment with classes, and a way to pillory competent registrars.

[Mersky]

11. Sen Royce West just got out of him the logic for restricting voting times

It’s all about making the voting time convenient for, not the voters, and not for poll workers, no… it’s all about making it easier for campaigns to place poll watchers.

Good grief.

[Mersky]

12. Well, that was gross. Rapid fire roll call vote adopting the report.

Awful.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

13. The Texas Democrats walked out and killed the bill

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[LeftInTX]

14. Ha! I didn't know the deadline was 12 AM May 31st

Thought it was gonna be going all day today until midnight tonite..

Learn something new!