Texas Advances Citizen-Only Voting Amendment

Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed Senate Joint Resolution 37, which proposes a constitutional amendment to explicitly restrict voting in Texas elections to U.S. citizens, as well as to minors, the mentally incompetent, and convicted felons. The amendment, authored by State Senator Brian Birdwell, will be presented to voters for approval in November. The resolution received bipartisan support in both legislative chambers, though most opposition came from Democrats. Abbott also signed additional legislation prohibiting new state taxes, aligning with the state's launch of the Texas Stock Exchange. Texas joins Arkansas, Kansas, and South Dakota in advancing similar citizenship voting amendments for public vote. These developments come amid ongoing national debates and court cases regarding voter eligibility and proof of citizenship requirements.