State Senate To Take Up Voter ID Bill Today

The Texas Senate begins debate on a bill to require voters to show an official identification card when they vote.

Gov. Rick Perry declared the legislation an emergency priority last week. That means it can bypass normal procedures and be debated in the first 30 days of the session.

The voter ID bill is the first substantive legislation that lawmakers will debate.

Republicans say stronger voter ID laws will prevent fraud. Democrats say the bill is partisan, designed to increase GOP margins at the ballot box.

State Representative Joe Pickett, (D) El Paso, told ABC-7 in a phone interview from Austin Sunday night that he needs more information before making up his mind about the bill.

“If it’s just ceremonious … if it’s just showing driver’s licenses, we’re ok,” said Rep. Pickett. “If there’s something sinister in there and they’re trying to keep minorities or certain folks from voting, then the answer would be no.”

Despite the emergency declaration, the El Paso Democrat said the House likely won’t take up the bill until members take care of House business, such as assigning legislators to committees.

“It’s not anything that we’ll be debating even in the next few weeks. It probably won’t even be until March, April before we hear something about it on our side,” Pickett said.

Democrats successfully blocked a similar bill in 2009.