Zero evidence of widespread voter fraud has been found in the 2020 election in which Donald Trump lost to Joe Biden.
Republicans have swept the past two election cycles in Texas - holding on to every statewide office and maintaining majorities in all three branches of the Texas government.
Yet, Republican legislators believe it is still necessary to "secure" our elections with laws that are designed to suppress votes.
Senate Bill 2, which advanced out of the Senate State Affairs Committee this week, seeks to reestablish illegal voting as a felony in Texas.
Senate Bill 2 would make someone convicted of illegal voting subject to a 20 year prison sentence and a $10,000 fine.
However, it would also gut the level of intent necessary to obtain a conviction.
Senate Bill 2 eliminates the need for prosecutors to prove that a person knew that they had committed a crime in order to be convicted. According to the Texas Tribune, the law could impact a voter who knew of the reason that made them ineligible to vote, but who were in fact not aware that they were ineligible to vote.
This legislation is targeted at Crystal Mason, who cast a provisional ballot as a convicted felon while on parole. Her ballot was rejected but she was convicted of voter fraud. Her conviction was reversed on appeal because the court determined that her level of intent was not proven at trial.
Senate Bill 2 would make that proof of intent virtually unnecessary.
Equally disturbing, is a bill introduced by Republican State Senator Bob Hall which would revoke the ability of individuals over the age of 65 to vote by mail.
Senator Hall, who promoted the use of hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of Covid 19, has introduced this bill without one drop of evidence that individuals over 65 cheat when they vote by mail. This is yet another legislator listening to conspiracy theories espoused by former President Donald Trump, who is over 65 years of age and votes by mail.
These election suppression bills, along with the terrible gerrymandering in Texas and virtual gutting of the Voting Rights Act by the U.S. Supreme Court, make it vital that the U.S. Congress pass national voting rights standards for our nation, including campaign finance reform.
Our right to vote in free and fair elections is a cornerstone of our Democracy which is being trampled upon due to the election lies which still show their poisonous effects in legislation like this years later.
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