AUSTIN, Texas (WBAP/KLIF News) — Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton is still defending the 2011 state voter ID law struck down by the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals but he’s also praising a new version of the law crafted by state Senator Joan Huffman.
SB5 closely resembles a temporary set of rules put in place by a district court judge in time for the 2016 general election. That rule allowed for Texans without photo ID to vote after presenting an alternative form of ID and signing an affidavit explaining why they were unable to optain identification with a picture.
In a statement issued Thursday, Paxton wrote, “The updates to Voter ID that Senator Huffman proposes will make the changes necessary to comply with the Fifth Circuit ruling while ensuring the integrity of the voting process.”
While the bill would allow more Texans to vote the Houston Press reports it would also create harsh penalties for voting violations including imprisonment between two and ten years.
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