Most of Texas’ newly enacted legislation will take effect on Thursday, the first day of the state’s fiscal year: “Then Texans will begin to see how actions at the state Capitol affect their lives in ways large and small,” writes Kelley Shannon at the Houston Chronicle. This may be true if the Justice Department approves the state’s restrictive photo ID law.
According to the Chronicle, “parts of the controversial Voter ID law Republicans muscled through also take effect Thursday. Full implementation will begin Jan. 1.”
“The act will require voters to present a driver’s license or another specified form of government-issued photo identification, such as state photo ID, military ID, passport or concealed handgun license, along with a voter registration card to be able to cast a ballot at the polls.
Minority groups complained the measure will unfairly target poorer voters because they are less likely to have photo ID.
‘This went too far in having a very narrow list of documentation,’ said Luis Figueroa, an attorney with the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund. He said the state could have made the restrictions less onerous by allowing more forms of identification, such as student identification cards, VA cards or Social Security cards.”
Last month, the photo ID law was submitted to the Justice Department for approval under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, which requires states with a history of discriminatory practices to seek federal approval before changing voting laws. The DOJ’s decision is expected to come down in late September, according to an August 12 Texas Tribune report. Until then, “Texas voters could show a voter registration certificate or another document, such as a utility bill, that listed their name but didn’t necessarily have a photo on it.”