AUSTIN - There is still time for SJR 35, which proposes a constitutional amendment clarifying that voters must be U.S. citizens, to be heard in the Texas House of Representatives, says one individual who has been following the joint resolution closely.
SJR 35 was introduced by Sen. Brian Birdwell, a Republican representing District 22, who during a previous hearing on the resolution testified that the amendment is necessary to preserve election integrity and keep the process secure.
The resolution passed the Senate and has been referred to the House Committee on State Affairs.
And although the 88th Legislative Session wraps up later this month, Carine Martinez of the Texas Public Policy Foundation says there is still time for SJR 35 to be heard.
“There is still time for SJR 35 to be heard in the House,” Martinez said. “It's a simple yet essential constitutional amendment to reaffirm the importance of being a U.S. citizen, of having pledged one's allegiance to the United States, to be able to participate in its governance and shape its laws and future.”
While SJR 35 was still in the Senate, Martinez, who is originally from France, offered her testimony in support of the resolution, saying that the amendment is “crucial” for national sovereignty.
More than a dozen states and municipalities currently allow non-citizen voting in local elections. In October, the D.C. Council voted to allow non-citizen residents the right to vote in local elections.
On Feb. 9, the House passed HJR 24, disapproving the action of the D.C. Council in approving the Local Resident Voting Rights Amendment Act of 2022. A total of 260 representatives voted in favor of the resolution, including 42 Democrats, several of which call Texas home.
An Americans for Citizen Voting poll found that 75 percent of voters oppose allowing people who are not U.S. citizens to vote in local elections, with only 20 percent in favor.
If passed, the proposed constitutional amendment would be submitted to voters at an election to be held on Nov. 7, 2023.