The upper chamber of the Texas Legislature has approved a series of changes to the state’s controversial photo voter ID law, to bring the legislation in line with a federal ruling, reports The Houston Chronicle.
Last year an appeals court declared that Republican legislators intentionally enacted the law to discriminate toward minorities. This week the GOP-led Senate voted 21-10 to approve the changes ordered by the Feds.
Sen. Joan Huffman, a Republican from Houston, sponsored the bill and was forthright in her support of it: “The people of the State of Texas demand integrity of the ballot box,” she said. “I'm committed to constitutionally sound, free, fair and secure elections.”
The new law, if passed, allows people who have a “reasonable impediment” to obtaining a photo identification to sign an affidavit, in order to vote.
The bill now goes to the House for consideration.