An outspoken election integrity advocate has been selected to head the Texas House committee charged with hearing legislation on the issue, which is a top priority of Republican grassroots activists.
Today, State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R–Deer Park) announced he’s been appointed to chair the House Committee on Elections for the 87th Legislative Session.
“The topic of election integrity is expected to be at the forefront of the legislative session, especially as Governor Abbott recently declared it to be an emergency item for the Legislature in his biennial State of the State address,” Cain said.
“I believe that if people do not trust in the electoral process, they will not trust those who are elected,” he added.
Cain, a member of the Texas Freedom Caucus, served on the Elections Committee last session and introduced several bills aimed at making state voting procedures more secure, including measures to prevent noncitizen registration and voting, as well as measures to impose penalties on officials who fail to follow state election laws.
He has already filed four bills relating to election integrity this session.
On Monday night, Abbott named election integrity as one of five “emergency” priorities for the session, meaning lawmakers can get right to work on bills pertaining to the issue.
Other Elections Committee members are Republican State Reps. Travis Clary (Nacogdoches), Jacey Jetton (Sugar Land), Mike Schofield (Katy), and Valoree Swanson (Spring); and Democrats Jessica González (Dallas), Michelle Beckley (Carrollton), John Bucy (Cedar Park), and Art Fierro (El Paso).
State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R–Mineola) is again chairing the Senate State Affairs Committee, which hears elections-related bills in the upper chamber.
The regular session of Texas’ 87th Legislature runs through May 31. Details about bills, along with other resources to help citizens participate in the legislative process, are available at Texas Legislature Online.
Texans can weigh in on election integrity and other issues by contacting their elected officials. The Texas Directory includes information about state lawmakers, the districts they represent, and how to contact their offices.
