The U.S. Department of Justice on Aug. 22 announced it would file a lawsuit against the State of Texas over the state’s voter photo identification law, passed as Senate Bill 14 in 2011.
In filing the lawsuit, the federal agency said it seeks a declaration that SB 14 violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (non-discrimination requirement) and the voting guarantees of the Fourteenth (due process and equal protection) and Fifteenth (right to vote) amendments to the United States Constitution. According to a news release by U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, head of the Department of Justice, “The United States’ complaint contends that SB 14 was adopted with the purpose, and will have the result, of denying or abridging the right to vote on account of race, color or membership in a language minority group.”
Gov. Rick Perry and Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott reacted with releases of their own. Perry said, “The filing of endless litigation in an effort to obstruct the will of the people of Texas is what we have come to expect from Attorney General Eric Holder and President Obama. We will continue to defend the integrity of our elections against this administration’s blatant disregard for the 10th Amendment.”
Abbott, on behalf of the state government, has filed 25 lawsuits against the Obama administration over a variety of issues such as voter ID, redistricting, environmental protection and the Affordable Care Act which some refer to as Obama Care. Within a much longer statement, Abbott said, “Voter IDs have nothing to do with race and they are free to anyone who needs one.”
Perry sets voting date
Gov. Perry took the official step of proclaiming Nov. 5 as Election Day for the nine proposed constitutional amendments approved by legislators last spring.
Texans who go to polls with proper identification in accordance with the state’s voter identification law will be able to vote “yes” or “no” on amendments dealing with topics ranging from property tax exemptions and municipal charters to funding for the state water plan and judicial conduct.
Job count grows in July
Texas Workforce Commission on Aug. 16 reported the Texas economy added 19,900 seasonally adjusted total nonfarm jobs in July for a total of 293,000 jobs added since July 2012.
Also, Texas’ seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held steady in July at 6.5 percent. Texas’ unemployment rate remained below the nation’s July unemployment rate of 7.4 percent.
“As of July,” said Texas Workforce Commission Chairman Andres Alcantar, “Texas has maintained a positive annual growth rate for 39 straight months.”
Ed Sterling works for the Texas Press Association and follows the Legislature for the organization.
