September 2021 SDEC Report

The meeting was called to order on September 18, 2021 with committee meetings from 8:30 am to 12:30 PM and general session at 1:30 PM. I am also a member of the SDEC Campaign and Legislative Affairs sub-committees.

Campaigns Committee

Committee members discussed assisting with GOTV efforts in the special election for HD118 that was held on September 28th. Frank Ramirez made it to the runoff and will be running on the Democratic ticket. Support for candidates running for office is located via Project Lift.

Rose Clouston from Voter Protection discussed year-round organizing efforts with the Texas Democratic Party with an emphasis on voter registration efforts. Many of these efforts include:

  • Relational Organizing with REACH

  • Hosting Voter Registration Days in counties throughout Texas

  • If you’re still deciding if running for office is right for you (or right for you right now), start here.

  • If you’re definitely running in the next couple years, start here

Legislative Affairs Committee

The Committee convened with Rose Clouston providing a staff report. On the agenda was a review of SB1 and other voting law changes.

“Texas enacted S.B. 1, omnibus legislation that disproportionately burdens Latino, Black, and Asian voters and makes it harder for those who face language access barriers or who have disabilities to get help casting their ballots. The law also constrains election workers’ ability to stop harassment by poll watchers and bans 24-hour and drive-thru voting, among other measures. In a state where it was already hard to vote, S.B. 1 compounds the barriers faced by Texas voters. The Brennan Center is challenging S.B. 1 in federal court.footnote8_9rojuax” Read more here!

Positive Highlights from SB1 include:

  • HB1382 - a mail in ballot tracking system

  • HB3107 - Mail in ballot applications may be turned in (in-person) until the deadline date

  • HB3920 - pregnant voters with due dates within three weeks of an election will be allowed to vote by mail

In the latest special session that began on September 20th, Gov Greg Abbott is asking to increase election penalties after signing the original SB1 that lowered these penalties.

General Session Highlights

At the general session we heard from Chair Hinojosa that bills passed during the special session were a referendum on Republican priorities that will hurt Texans by disenfranchising voters, taking away rights for transgender children in schools, taking away reproductive rights, and infringing upon workplace safety by not providing for water breaks at construction sites. Now on to the Rules Vote!

SD10 SDEC Committeewoman is Chair of the Rules Committee and the SDEC body voted on the following rules and here were the outcomes:

  • PASSED FULL COMMITTEE - Rule Proposal 11-v2-SDEC Rule Proposal on SDEC Quarterly Financial Reporting

    • Financial reports must include: Monthly Expense Reporting by category, Monthly Revenue Reporting by Category, Monthly Staff Compensation and Notation of Vendors being owned and operated by people of color, women, veterans, LGBTQI+, and people with disabilities

  • PASSED FULL COMMITTEE - Rule Proposal 12-SDEC Rule Date and time of County and SDEC Conventions

    • Changes language from “Each County and Senatorial District convention

      shall be held on the third Saturday after the First Primary to after the first Tuesday in March. Effectively making March 19, 2022 the effective date for Convention in 2022.

  • PASSED FULL COMMITTEE - Rule Proposal 13-SDEC Rule on County Chair Vacancies

    • Assign responsibilities and deadlines in the process of electing a new county chair and approval by the SDEC

  • POSTPONED Rule Proposal 14- Creation of a Quadrennial Strategic Plan

  • FAILED Rule Proposal 15- Biennial Financial  Audit