A Republican-priority measure to prevent non-U.S. citizens from voting in Texas elections moved closer to passage this week.
Senate Bill 964 by State Sen. Bryan Hughes (R–Mineola) would require drivers’ licenses and identification cards issued to noncitizens by the Texas Department of Public Safety to display the phrase “NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE” on the front of the license or ID.
The cards would also be oriented vertically instead of horizontally.
SB 964 is endorsed by the Republican Party of Texas under the legislative priority Secure Texas Elections.
Senators passed the bill last month on a bipartisan vote.
State Rep. Carrie Isaac (R–Wimberley) presented Hughes’ bill to the House Homeland Security, Public Safety, and Veterans’ Affairs Committee during a hearing on Wednesday.
Isaac explained that Texas law already requires license and ID applicants to provide DPS with proof of United States citizenship or lawful presence.
However, the documents issued to noncitizens are not required to be distinguishable from those issued to U.S. citizens.
“As a result, a noncitizen could become registered to vote and produce a Texas-issued license or identification certificate when voting, neither of which makes it immediately clear to election officials that the holder of the ID is a noncitizen and ineligible to vote,” Isaac told committee members.
Texas Civil Rights Project attorney Danny Woodward testified against the bill, claiming it would “create havoc for people attempting to vote after becoming naturalized citizens.”
However, naturalization certificates are an accepted form of voter identification, so naturalized citizens who fail to update their drivers licenses in a timely manner would still be able to vote.
Woodard also argued that displaying the word “NONCITIZEN” on IDs “could put people at risk of discrimination.”
While Hughes originally proposed printing “NONCITIZEN” on noncitizens’ DPS-issued documents, SB 964 requires the phrase “NOT ELIGIBLE TO VOTE,” reflecting the purpose of the legislation: to prevent ineligible noncitizens from casting votes in Texas elections.
Ahead of the 2024 presidential election, Texans raised serious concerns about noncitizens using state-issued IDs to vote. During an interim hearing in October, a DPS official advised senators that neither driver’s licenses issued to legal permanent residents nor handgun licenses issued to noncitizens are marked to indicate that the holder is not a U.S. citizen and therefore not eligible to vote, yet both are accepted forms of voter ID in Texas.
SB 964 was left pending in committee.
Lawmakers are also considering other measures to ensure only U.S. citizens vote in Texas elections, including a constitutional amendment stating that noncitizens are not allowed to vote and a law requiring proof of citizenship when registering to vote.
Those measures are also endorsed by the Texas GOP.
Just a few weeks remain in the regular legislative session for lawmakers to pass Texans’ priorities. The session ends June 2.
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