Election judges could carry guns at most polling sites under bill passed by Texas House
By James Barragán The Dallas Morning News | Published on 4/20/2021
AUSTIN — The Texas House on Tuesday passed a bill that would allow election judges to carry handguns at most polling locations on Election Day and during early voting.
House Bill 530, by Rep. Jared Patterson, R-Frisco, aims to codify an attorney general’s opinion from three years ago that said election judges have the same power as district judges to enforce order and keep the peace and therefore are exempt from prohibitions against carrying guns at polling locations. That reasoning stemmed from a 1913 Texas Court of Criminal Appeals case, and the attorney general opinion was non-binding.
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