State Representative Erin Zwiener proposed five key pieces of legislation advancing pro-democracy reforms on Nov. 12th as bill filing opened for the upcoming 89th Legislative Session.
“This election season, once again, highlighted areas where Texas can make access to the polls more fair and better empower Texans to be engaged in our electoral process,” Zwiener said. “I met Texans who moved recently and were unable to vote in statewide elections despite being registered Texas voters. I spoke to students who struggled to provide the necessary identification because of the driver’s license backlog in central Texas. We all have seen the impact of big money effectively buying election results. And, we’ve seen a growing divide between community support for policies and what the legislature will take action on. My legislation gives power back to everyday Texans and encourages everyone to participate in our democracy.”
Rep. Zwiener filed the following election-related legislation yesterday:
• HB 1003: Allows university- issued student IDs to be used as an acceptable form of photo identification for voting, increasing ballot access for college students.
• HB 1020: Establishes campaign contribution limit of $5,000 per candidate per election for individuals and $10,000 per candidate per election for Political Action Committees.
• HB 1032: Expands voting access for individuals who have recently moved to a new county by allowing them to vote with a limited ballot on election day at any polling place in their new county.
• HB 1235: Permits deputy registrars to distribute and accept voteby- mail applications alongside voter registration applications.
• HJR 87: Establishes a direct democratic process through which citizens can propose legislation for voter approval through a petition. Rep. Zwiener will continue to file legislation to meet the needs of Texas and Hays County over the coming weeks.
Erin Zwiener is an author, educator and conservationist. As a fifth-generation Texan, she is committed to bringing her values of healthy communities, inclusivity and common-sense government to the Texas Legislature. Zwiener is a three-time Jeopardy! champion and lives in Driftwood with her family.
