Rules Committee Sends Photo ID to Floor Despite Acknowledgment of Bill’s Flaws

The Rules Committee met last night to consider several bills including HCS HJR 9, the photo ID law. It comes as no surprise that Photo ID moved so quickly to the top of the Rules’ Committee list as the bill’s sponsor, Rep. Stanley Cox is the Vice-Chairman of the Committee. Despite a motion made by Rep. Stephen Webber to send the photo ID bill back to the Elections Committee for further review and public input, the committee chose to vote this dangerous and snowballing bill out of the committee. Rep. Webber and Rep. Mike Talboy each spoke to the issue and pointed out that other pieces of legislation have been sent back to their committees of origin for further review and photo ID should be no different. Chairman Michael Parson even agreed that there were “issues” with the bill but he had been reassured by Rep. Cox that some of the bill’s provisions would be corrected once it goes to the House the floor.

It is unacceptable that our legislators are willing to pass this legislation out of committee KNOWING IT IS INHERENTLY FLAWED and would most certainly disenfranchise tens of thousands of disabled and overseas military voters. CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS TODAY AND LET THEM KNOW HOW DISAPPOINTED you are in their FLAWED PROCESS!