BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 2993 By: Morales Shaw Elections Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In Texas, valid forms of voter identification, such as a Texas driver's license or a U.S. passport, typically provide a name, photograph, and expiration date. Transportation worker identification credential cards, or TWIC cards, are a valid form of government identification utilized by chemical plant workers, railroad employees, port personnel and other industries that contain critical infrastructure. Although TWIC cards provide the cardholder's name, photograph, and expiration date, they are currently not considered a valid form of voter identification. H.B. 2993 seeks to address this issue by including TWIC cards as a valid form of voter identification. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 2993 amends the Election Code to include among the acceptable forms of photo identification for purposes of accepting a voter a transportation worker identification credential card issued by the TSA that has not expired or that expired no earlier than four years before the date of presentation. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2021.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 2993
By: Morales Shaw
Elections
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 2993
By: Morales Shaw
Elections
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE In Texas, valid forms of voter identification, such as a Texas driver's license or a U.S. passport, typically provide a name, photograph, and expiration date. Transportation worker identification credential cards, or TWIC cards, are a valid form of government identification utilized by chemical plant workers, railroad employees, port personnel and other industries that contain critical infrastructure. Although TWIC cards provide the cardholder's name, photograph, and expiration date, they are currently not considered a valid form of voter identification. H.B. 2993 seeks to address this issue by including TWIC cards as a valid form of voter identification.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 2993 amends the Election Code to include among the acceptable forms of photo identification for purposes of accepting a voter a transportation worker identification credential card issued by the TSA that has not expired or that expired no earlier than four years before the date of presentation.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2021.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In Texas, valid forms of voter identification, such as a Texas driver's license or a U.S. passport, typically provide a name, photograph, and expiration date. Transportation worker identification credential cards, or TWIC cards, are a valid form of government identification utilized by chemical plant workers, railroad employees, port personnel and other industries that contain critical infrastructure. Although TWIC cards provide the cardholder's name, photograph, and expiration date, they are currently not considered a valid form of voter identification. H.B. 2993 seeks to address this issue by including TWIC cards as a valid form of voter identification.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 2993 amends the Election Code to include among the acceptable forms of photo identification for purposes of accepting a voter a transportation worker identification credential card issued by the TSA that has not expired or that expired no earlier than four years before the date of presentation.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2021.