Read on Twitter
If you're just waking up and checking to see what happened with #SB7 #HB6 last night - here's a quick thread on how this played out before wrapping up around 4am#txlege
Starting off the day, we and a long list of voting rights advocacy groups swarmed the Capitol to protest the bills and support the legislators who had upwards of 130 amendments queued up https://news.yahoo.com/protesters-swarm-texas-statehouse-lawmakers-153932850.html?guccounter=1
Once #HB6 was brought up, it was subbed out for #SB7. Substance of the bill was the same but the sub meant the bill being heard had already passed one chamber and was much closer to the finish line
Once the debate on #SB7 got started -- it was a long list of members wearing #GoodTrouble masks putting up a fierce fight in defense of voting rights:
@jessicafortexas
@RafaelAnchia
@ChrisGTurner
@NicoleCollier95
@jasminefor100
@juliejohnsonTX
@VoteAnnJohnson
@jessicafortexas
@RafaelAnchia
@ChrisGTurner
@NicoleCollier95
@jasminefor100
@juliejohnsonTX
@VoteAnnJohnson
There were several must-see moments -- here was one wherein @RafaelAnchia called out Briscoe Cain on the origins of the "purity of the ballot box" term he put in his bill - a term with deeply racist roots https://twitter.com/RafaelAnchia/status/1390494633579384832?s=20
We then got a point of order by @TurnerForTX that took around 2 hours to resolve
The resolution being the POO was taken down and the bill postponed until 1130pm https://twitter.com/lmcgaughy/status/1390499209170886656?s=20
The resolution being the POO was taken down and the bill postponed until 1130pm https://twitter.com/lmcgaughy/status/1390499209170886656?s=20
Many other bills got heard, negotiations continued off the floor, SB7 resumed around 2:45am and it seemed clear there was a deal
20 amendments were quickly introduced, many w/no explanation, and all were accepted by the author
Full amendment list here: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/Amendments.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=SB7
20 amendments were quickly introduced, many w/no explanation, and all were accepted by the author
Full amendment list here: https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/Amendments.aspx?LegSess=87R&Bill=SB7
. @EhresmanKatya has an excellent explainer thread on what was in the #SB7 the amendments https://twitter.com/EhresmanKatya/status/1390596949380845569?s=20
For us - we'll continue to analyze amendments but our initial take from last night remains - #SB7 now has some good provisions, but still has some very bad ones as wells
And there remains the very real possibility that this bill could get much, much worse in conference committee
And there remains the very real possibility that this bill could get much, much worse in conference committee
We'll keep watching #SB7 vigilantly - along with the long list of standalone voter suppression bills
And will keep fighting for voting rights alongside amazing partners like @MOVE_texas @TXCivilRights @ProgressTX @TFN @ACLUTx @texrising @LWVTexas @JoltAction @HoustoninAction
And will keep fighting for voting rights alongside amazing partners like @MOVE_texas @TXCivilRights @ProgressTX @TFN @ACLUTx @texrising @LWVTexas @JoltAction @HoustoninAction
We'll keep updating the Action Center on http://LetTexasVote.org to let y'all know where the dangers are - and what you can do to fight back
And here are a couple great pieces on how this all played out -- first of course is one by @alexazura of @TexasTribune https://www.texastribune.org/2021/05/07/texas-voting-restrictions/
And one by @lmcgaughy of @dallasnews that's being updated this AM https://www.dallasnews.com/news/politics/2021/05/06/texas-house-hunkers-down-for-late-night-debate-on-gop-backed-elections-bill/
