Austin- The Texas House of Representatives earlier this week debated and passed, along party lines, House Bill 218 by Representative Betty Brown (R). House Bill 218 has been characterized by many as a voter suppression bill that creates substantial obstacles inhibiting voter participation, disproportionately affecting the elderly, minorities and low-income voters. The bill prohibits voters from voting with only a valid voter registration card, as many currently do. The bill will now require additional identification be presented at the voting polls regardless of a voter registration card.

The legislation was proposed as a solution to claims of voter fraud occurring across the state. However, Attorney General Gregg Abbott has stated that there have been few such prosecution in Texas and the ones that have been brought were usually for problems with mailed ballots, not addressed in the bill. The bill has been opposed by many groups that realize the suppression of legitimate votes, they are: American Association of Retired Persons, Texas AFL-CIO, Southwest Voter Registration Education Project, Coalition of Texans with Disabilities, the ACLU, NAACP and many other civic organizations.

"I do not believe that as a state we should be driving qualified voters away from the polls by placing obstacles, on the contrary I believe that we should encourage qualified voters to participate in our government. This is why I voted against the bill.", stated Representative Gonzalez Toureilles.

Representative Gonzalez Toureilles voted in favor of an amendment offered by Representative Dunnam, Democratic Caucus Chair, to exempt voters over the age of 65 from this law. The amendment was aimed to protect the elderly of Texas who are accustomed to voting only with their voter registration card, however the amendment was defeated. Representative Mark Strama (D) also offered an amendment, supported by Representative Gonzalez Toureilles, creating an election integrity task force that would investigate and prosecute voter fraud.