Gov. Rick Perry has declared two more emergency items for the 2011 legislative session. The new emergency items include legislation that would require voters to show identification at the ballot box, and a bill calling for a new balanced budget amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
“Fiscal discipline, balanced budgets and the integrity of the ballot box are critical to the people of Texas,” Perry said in a press release today. “Under this emergency declaration, Texas lawmakers will be able to address these priority issues more quickly.”
By declaring these items as emergency, lawmakers are expected to discuss them in the first 30 days of the legislative session.
Republicans say that requiring ID to vote would prevent voter fraud. Democrats, though, say it's designed to to increase the GOP's showing at the ballot box.
Last week, Perry designated two other emergency items—preserving private property rights and abolishing sanctuary cities in Texas.
