Hughes’s illegal voting bill advances but draws local opposition

AUSTIN — The Texas Senate Tuesday voted 19-12 to send Senate Bill 2 to the House of Representatives. The measure would make illegal voting a felony. According to our news partner KETK, Senator Bryan Hughes of East Texas authored the bill after an amendment in 2021’s Senate Bill 1 lowered the felony to a Class A misdemeanor. “This type of voter fraud this bill is targeting is exceedingly rare. It hardly ever happens,” said Katie Owens with voter services for The League of Women Voters of Tyler/Smith County. Hughes said in the last session the bill wasn’t debated, was overlooked, and needed attention. “To lower the penalty of an offense sends the message that this offense is less serious and we do not want to send that message,” said Hughes.

Owens believes that raising the penalty will only discourage voters. “Having these harsh penalties can actually deter people who are eligible for voting from showing up to vote, just from fear that they might be punished for something they thought they could do,” said Owens. Hughes said this piece of legislation is only for those who know they are voting illegally. “It actually lowers the standard for prosecutors to prove intention,” said Owens. Owens said a better way to achieve the same goal is to educate voters and it that is important to start with high school students. “Making sure that people know what they have to do to register to vote and who is eligible to vote actually decreases those levels of voter fraud,” said Owens. Hughes said there are plenty of bills like SB 2 in the House and it is a matter of which one will be voted on first.