Voter ID bill passes House committee

AUSTIN (AP/KXAN) - A House committee has approved legislation that would require new ID requirements for Texas voters, but efforts to forge a compromise that can pass out of the Legislature seemed to be falling apart.

The 5-4 vote in the House Elections Committee Monday comes after Republican Rep. Todd Smith, chairman of the panel, floated a series of proposals designed to attract a bipartisan coalition.

He said the chances of bridging the partisan divide were now "less than 50 percent."

Republicans say the measure is needed to prevent voter fraud. Democrats have criticized the move as a partisan power grab designed to suppress their base vote.

"The vast majority of Texans agree that by simply asking Texans to verify their identity at the polls, we can help prevent known voter fraud and ensure every vote cast is legal," Lt. Governor Dewhurst said. "The cornerstone of America's democratic process is one person, one vote and by passing Senate Bill 362, the House Elections Committee has moved us one step closer to preserving this important principle."