Voter ID, Budget Hot Topics In Texas Legislature
By: Karl Rundgren
Updated: January 25, 2011
AUSTIN -- A voter I.D. bill is one of the things we'll be hearing about as the Texas Legislature continues meeting.
Governor Rick Perry made an emergency declaration on a voter I.D. bill, and now the senate is hearing testimony on it. Republicans want to see stronger voter I.D. in place to prevent fraud, but Democrats feel that it's a partisan bill meant to increase votes for the G.O.P.
Democrats managed to block the bill in 2009. But with more Republicans in both Houses, it's expected to pass this time. If passed, people would have to present a drivers license or other federal I.D. to vote. A vote could come as early as Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the state budget is also looming in Austin. The budget could eliminate up to 100,000 jobs in public schools, and 10,000 state jobs.
However, the job losses may not end there. A budget analyst warns of the "multiplier effect." When a public sector job is eliminated, they say 2 and a half jobs are lost, both public and private. That could take job losses to a 250,000 positions.
Of course, some of these positions are already vacant, so in those cases, the multiplier effect may not be a concern.
Governor Rick Perry made an emergency declaration on a voter I.D. bill, and now the senate is hearing testimony on it. Republicans want to see stronger voter I.D. in place to prevent fraud, but Democrats feel that it's a partisan bill meant to increase votes for the G.O.P.
Democrats managed to block the bill in 2009. But with more Republicans in both Houses, it's expected to pass this time. If passed, people would have to present a drivers license or other federal I.D. to vote. A vote could come as early as Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the state budget is also looming in Austin. The budget could eliminate up to 100,000 jobs in public schools, and 10,000 state jobs.
However, the job losses may not end there. A budget analyst warns of the "multiplier effect." When a public sector job is eliminated, they say 2 and a half jobs are lost, both public and private. That could take job losses to a 250,000 positions.
Of course, some of these positions are already vacant, so in those cases, the multiplier effect may not be a concern.
