skip to main content
skip to newscasts

Monday, February 24, 2025

Public News Service Logo
facebook instagram linkedin reddit youtube twitter
view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Trump officials at several agencies defy Musk's directive on summarizing accomplishments; CA children's advocates speak out against impending immigration raids; Environmental groups sue Trump administration over offshore drilling policy; NC organization applies COVID-era lessons to Helene relief.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

Today is the third anniversary of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Some federal workers return to the office after telework agreements are terminated; and environmental groups sue the Trump administration over its offshore drilling policy.

view newscast page
play newscast audioPlay

The Taos County Sheriff says he won't conduct raids or round ups of immigrants, New Hampshire worries a dearth of charging stations will force tourists driving EVs to pick another vacation destination, and Southern states improve education with workarounds.

Texans Face New Voter ID Law for March 6 Primaries

play audio
Play

Monday, January 8, 2018   

AUSTIN, Texas – When Texans head to the polls March 6 for the first primary of the 2018 midterm elections, they'll face a new Voter ID law.

That law, which went into effect Jan. 1, keeps the same list of permissible forms of identification, but allows Texans without a photo ID to vote if they present an alternate form of ID, such as a utility bill or pay stub.

However, according to Beth Stevens, voting rights director for the Texas Civil Rights Project, to use an alternative ID, you'll have to sign a "reasonable impediment form" stating why you couldn't obtain a proper ID.

She maintains the form, which sternly warns of the possible penalties for voter fraud, is designed to intimidate minority voters.

"On the reasonable impediment form itself, there's going to be notice to the voter of, 'Look, here are the things you could be charged with' – perjury, or there's a state jail felony,” she points out. “So, you can imagine as a voter going in and reading that, it can be scary."

Stevens says the new law was revised last year by the Legislature after the courts struck down the 2011 Voter ID Law.

A federal judge ruled in 2017 that the first law was discriminatory, and is still considering whether state lawmakers passed that law with the intent to discriminate.

And even though the new version of the law is in effect, Stevens says yet another legal challenge could be in the offing.

Stevens says the Texas Civil Rights Project has joined the nonpartisan Election Protection coalition, a national effort to ensure voting rights.

The coalition will have trained volunteers and attorneys answering toll-free phone numbers in English, Spanish and a multi-Asian-language line to assist Texans with any problems they may encounter in the voting process.

"Anyone can call these numbers and ask anything as seemingly mundane as, 'I don't know where my polling location is,' all the way to something more sinister like, 'I'm in line to vote and I'm being intimidated,'" Stevens states.

She adds the coalition is also training hundreds of observers to place at polling stations across the state to ensure that voting rights are upheld, during both the March primaries and the general election in November.

Early voting for the primary begins Feb. 20.





get more stories like this via email

more stories
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker's proposed budget estimates total revenues of $55.453 billion, and total spending of $55.234 billion. (Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

Illinois' Legislative Latino Caucus and Black Caucus have responded to Governor JB Pritzker's budget address he delivered last week, and each …


Health and Wellness

play sound

By Grace Hussain for Sentient.Broadcast version by Shanteya Hudson for Georgia News Connection reporting for the Sentient-Public News Service Collabor…

Environment

play sound

By Olivia Herken for the Wisconsin Independent.Broadcast version by Judith Ruiz-Branch for Wisconsin News Connection reporting for the Wisconsin Indep…


New York City's program is the only one charging drivers to get into the congested area, but New York isn't the only city with congestion pricing. (Adobe Stock)

Environment

play sound

As the U.S. Department of Transportation tries to end New York City's congestion pricing program, the move is getting some pushback from people who …

Environment

play sound

A coalition of environmental groups has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, challenging its revocation of President Joe Biden's …

More than 60,000 people in Oregon could benefit from expanding food benefits to undocumented residents. (Franco Capotosti/Adobe Stock)

Social Issues

play sound

By Amal Ahmed for Yes! Media.Broadcast version by Isobel Charle for Oregon News Service reporting for the Yes! Media/Sentient/Just and Climate-…

Social Issues

play sound

California is bracing for large-scale immigration raids - and groups that advocate for children are speaking out against the climate of fear…

Social Issues

play sound

Scams are on the rise in the wake of the Los Angeles fires, according to a warning on social media from the Pasadena Police Department - so experts …

 

Phone: 303.448.9105 Toll Free: 888.891.9416 Fax: 208.247.1830 Your trusted member- and audience-supported news source since 1996 Copyright © 2021