State senator makes two-day swing through Texarkana
Texas District 1 Sen. Bryan Hughes and his staff took a tour of Texas A&M UniversityTexarkana on Monday, a stop on a two-day outing for his staff to get to know his district’s constituents. He said he wanted his staff to put faces with the names they talk with on a regular basis and get a true feel for the community.
“Folks that work in our office at the Capitol deal with people from Texarkana all the time,” he said. “I thought it would be nice if our folks from Austin could see what it looks like and actually meet people here.”
The group also took a tour of TexAmericas and the Telford Unit on Monday and will tour Texarkana College and Ledwell Machinery today.
Hughes, who co-authored the state voter identification bill during the 82nd session of the Texas Legislature, took a moment to explain why he chose to help put tighter voting restrictions in place.
“It just made sense,” he said. “Texas has uncovered hundreds of cases of voter fraud. Down in Harris County in Houston they discovered 3,000 people who were registered to vote who were not even U.S. citizens. It’s a real problem.”
He explained the reasoning behind the law, stating that it was a basic premise that says if you’re going to cast a vote, it’s not too much for the state to ask for your ID.
“In casting a vote, it’s fair for us to make sure that I really am the person I say I am because if I’m voting and I’m not entitled to, or I’m using someone else’s credentials I’m stealing their vote and taking it away from someone else,” he said, adding that the state has been sued a number of times over the issue, which has also made it to the federal level.
“The U.S. Supreme Court has upheld that we are allowed to ask for an ID when someone wants to come vote,” Hughes said. “There are protections in place for folks that don’t drive. Your state-issued ID card that replaces your driver’s license.”
He said they also put provisions in place for those who can’t afford to pay the fee for government-issued identification.
“We changed the law to say if you can’t afford the state ID we’ll give it to you for free,” Hughes said. “We’ve removed very obstacle. It’s pretty fundamental. Folks ought to be able to show they are who they say they are to cast a vote.”
He said they expect more court challenges to the law, but that the goal was to make sure everyone’s rights are being upheld.
“Voting is a precious, blood-bought right in America and Western civilization,” he said. “We have to make sure we’re protected.”