Texas Voters Approve New Constitutional Amendments As Several States Vote On Ballot Measures

Texas voters approved 2 authorities law amendments successful statewide votes, NBC News projects, portion of a slew of authorities ballot measures voters astir nan state considered connected Tuesday.

The ballot measures amend Texas’ constitution to explain that only U.S. citizens tin ballot successful nan authorities and to enshrine parental rights.

Follow nan predetermination unrecorded here

Proponents of nan ballot measurement opportunity that parental authorities are already guaranteed successful Texas because of existing lawsuit law, but a law amendment will guarantee parental authorities are observed moreover if lawsuit rule changes successful nan future.

“Over nan past 100 years, national lawsuit rule has outlined circumstantial areas successful which parents person a constitutionally protected correct to make decisions for their children. However, authorities recovered successful lawsuit rule tin alteration and vanish complete clip pinch nan assignment of caller judges. Placing nan authorities of parents successful nan Texas constitution would guarantee nan longevity of these authorities for early generations,” GOP authorities Sen. Bryan Hughes, a sponsor of nan measure, wrote arsenic portion of a measure analysis.

The measurement approved connected Tuesday will adhd connection to nan authorities constitution that says, “the group of Texas hereby affirm that a genitor has nan work to nurture and protect nan parent’s kid and nan corresponding basal correct to workout care, custody, and power of nan parent’s child, including nan correct to make decisions concerning nan child’s upbringing.”

Opponents of nan ballot measure, including acquisition and reproductive authorities groups, person called nan measurement “unnecessary,” and “dangerous.” They opportunity nan law connection could later beryllium utilized to warrant restrictions connected accusation children tin entree regarding intelligence wellness attraction and reproductive wellness care. Other opponents called nan measurement “vague.”

On nan voting measure, moreover earlier its passage, only U.S. citizens could ballot successful nan authorities of Texas, starring opponents of nan measurement to telephone it “redundant,” while proponents of nan measurement said it will guarantee section municipalities cannot let non-citizens to ballot successful section elections successful nan future.

The measure’s sponsor successful nan Texas legislature, GOP authorities Sen. Brian Birdwell, pointed to different states, for illustration California, Maryland, New York, and Vermont, wherever non-citizen residents are authorized to ballot successful immoderate section elections, for illustration schoolhouse committee aliases metropolis assembly elections.

“The correct to ballot is sacred, guaranteed by nan United States Constitution. With different states allowing their section governments to instrumentality a voting system to let non-citizens to vote, Texas should proactively amend nan constitution to guarantee that Texas municipalities cannot instrumentality specified policies should statute change,” Birdwell wrote arsenic portion of a measure study successful nan authorities Senate.

“In efforts to sphere nan integrity of each elections, maintaining that only citizens person nan correct to ballot will create further safeguards to support our Texas elections secure,” he added.

The measurement won support from GOP Gov. Greg Abbott, who told voters successful a station connected X earlier this twelvemonth that nan ballot measure, “makes it crystal clear that if you are not a United States citizen, you’re not allowed to ballot successful Texas.”