This archive report was first published on 9 May 2021.
Published on May 9, 2021, a critical moment in the Texas legislative session, saw the passage of Senate Bill 7, a voter measure that critics likened to the abuses of the Jim Crow era.
During this time, the white political power structure in Texas and other Southern states employed tactics like the now-unconstitutional poll tax and literacy tests to maintain segregation and suppress minority voters.
House members passed Senate Bill 7 at 3 a.m. on Friday, sending it back to the Senate to resolve differences between the two chambers before the May 31 adjournment.
State Representative Rafael Anchía, a Democrat, questioned the use of the phrase “purity of the ballot box” in the legislation, which was later removed.
Democrats argued that the bill still contained unacceptable provisions that could hinder voting among minorities, older people, and urban residents trying to avoid long lines to vote.
One such provision prohibits counties from distributing unrequested mail-in ballots to voters, which would bar a repeat of a Harris County initiative that drew fierce opposition from Republican officials.
The Texas business community, which initially remained largely silent, has intensified its opposition, with over 200 businesses warning that the measures could restrict voter access and undercut the Texas economy.
American Airlines and Dell Technologies, the first to oppose the bills, have since been joined by other companies including Microsoft, Hewlett-Packard, Etsy, Patagonia, Warby Parker, and Gearbox.
Representative Chris Turner, the Democratic leader in the House, vowed that Democrats would take legal action if they were unable to block the bills in the Legislature.
“We’ll see them in court,” he said.
