New voting requirements

AUSTIN (AP) - Texans would be required to show more identification at the voting booth to prove they are who they say they are under a measure that won preliminary approval in the state House on Monday.

Existing state law allows voters to simply show their voter registration card or, if they don't have it, show identification to have their name matched to voter registry rolls.

The proposal by Rep. Betty Brown, R-Terrell, would require voters to produce photo identification or two other forms of nonphoto identification at a polling place.

After six hours of tense debate, the House voted 76-68 to tentatively approve Brown's proposal. It would still need a final House vote and Senate approval before it could be enacted into law.

Democrats who opposed the bill equated Brown's proposal with the poll taxes of years ago and other obstacles to people going to vote.