U.S. judge finds Texas voter ID law was intended to discriminate(Reuters) - A Texas law that requires voters to show identification before casting ballots was enacted with the intent to discriminate against black and Hispanic voters, a U.S. federal judge ruled on Monday. The decision by U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos came after an appeals court last year said the 2011 law had an outsized impact on minority voters. The court sent the case back to Ramos to determine if lawmakers intentionally wrote the legislation to be discriminatory. Ramos said in a 10-page decision that evidence “establishes that a discriminatory purpose was at least one of the substantial or motivating factors behind passage” of the measure. “The terms of the bill were unduly strict,” she added. Spokesmen for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Jr. and Governor Greg Abbott, both Republicans, could not be reached for comment. In January, after the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, Paxton said it was a common sense law to prevent voter fraud. The ruling on voter ID comes about a month after two federal judges ruled that Texas lawmakers drew up three U.S. congressional districts to undermine the influence of Hispanic voters. The measure requires voters to present photo identification such as a driver’s license, passport or military ID card. Plaintiffs have argued the law hits elderly and poorer voters, including minorities, hardest because they are less likely to have identification. They contend the measure is used by Republicans to suppress voters who typically align with Democrats. The legislation has been in effect since 2011 despite the legal challenges. Ramos said the law had met criteria set by the U.S. Supreme Court to show intent that included its discriminatory impact, a pattern not explainable on other than racial grounds, Texas’ history of discriminatory practices and the law’s unusually swift passage. Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, one of the plaintiffs, said the ruling showed other states that discriminatory laws would not stand up to legal scrutiny. “This is a good ruling that confirms what we have long known, that Texas’ voter ID law stands as one of the most discriminatory voting restrictions of its kind,” she said. In a shift from its stance under former President Barack Obama, the U.S. Justice Department dropped a discrimination claim against the law in February. The department said that the state legislature was considering changing the law in ways that might correct shortcomings. politicsNews
judge finds texas voter id law intended discriminate reuters a texas law requires voters show identification casting ballots enacted intent discriminate black hispanic voters federal judge ruled monday the decision district judge nella gonzalez ramos came appeals court last year said law outside impact minority voters the court sent case back ramos determine lawmakers intentionally wrote legislation discriminatory ramos said decision evidence establishes discriminatory purpose least one substantial motivating factors behind passage measure the terms bill unduly strict added spokesman texas attorney general ken taxon governor greg abbott republicans could reached comment in january supreme court declined hear case taxon said common sense law prevent voter fraud the ruling voter id comes month two federal judges ruled texas lawmakers drew three congressional districts undermine influence hispanic voters the measure requires voters present photo identification driver license passport military id card plaintiffs argued law hits elderly poorer voters including minorities hardest less likely identification they contend measure used republicans suppress voters typically align democrats the legislation effect since despite legal challenges ramos said law met criteria set supreme court show intent included discriminatory impact pattern explainable racial grounds texas history discriminatory practices law unusually swift passage kristen clarke president lawyers committee civil rights under law one plaintiffs said ruling showed states discriminatory laws would stand legal scrutiny this good ruling confirms long known texas voter id law stands one discriminatory voting restrictions kind said in shift stance former president barack obama justice department dropped discrimination claim law february the department said state legislature considering changing law ways might correct shortcomings politicsnews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: U.S. judge finds Texas voter ID law was intended to discriminate(Reuters) - A Texas law that requires voters to show identification before casting ballots was enacted with the intent to discriminate against black and Hispanic voters, a U.S. federal judge ruled on Monday. The decision by U.S. District Judge Nelva Gonzales Ramos came after an appeals court last year said the 2011 law had an outsized impact on minority voters. The court sent the case back to Ramos to determine if lawmakers intentionally wrote the legislation to be discriminatory. Ramos said in a 10-page decision that evidence “establishes that a discriminatory purpose was at least one of the substantial or motivating factors behind passage” of the measure. “The terms of the bill were unduly strict,” she added. Spokesmen for Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton Jr. and Governor Greg Abbott, both Republicans, could not be reached for comment. In January, after the Supreme Court declined to hear the case, Paxton said it was a common sense law to prevent voter fraud. The ruling on voter ID comes about a month after two federal judges ruled that Texas lawmakers drew up three U.S. congressional districts to undermine the influence of Hispanic voters. The measure requires voters to present photo identification such as a driver’s license, passport or military ID card. Plaintiffs have argued the law hits elderly and poorer voters, including minorities, hardest because they are less likely to have identification. They contend the measure is used by Republicans to suppress voters who typically align with Democrats. The legislation has been in effect since 2011 despite the legal challenges. Ramos said the law had met criteria set by the U.S. Supreme Court to show intent that included its discriminatory impact, a pattern not explainable on other than racial grounds, Texas’ history of discriminatory practices and the law’s unusually swift passage. Kristen Clarke, president of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, one of the plaintiffs, said the ruling showed other states that discriminatory laws would not stand up to legal scrutiny. “This is a good ruling that confirms what we have long known, that Texas’ voter ID law stands as one of the most discriminatory voting restrictions of its kind,” she said. In a shift from its stance under former President Barack Obama, the U.S. Justice Department dropped a discrimination claim against the law in February. The department said that the state legislature was considering changing the law in ways that might correct shortcomings. politicsNews
Your task is to classify the provided input as real or fake news. Label 0 is meant for fake news, Label 1 is for real news. TEXT: judge finds texas voter id law intended discriminate reuters a texas law requires voters show identification casting ballots enacted intent discriminate black hispanic voters federal judge ruled monday the decision district judge nella gonzalez ramos came appeals court last year said law outside impact minority voters the court sent case back ramos determine lawmakers intentionally wrote legislation discriminatory ramos said decision evidence establishes discriminatory purpose least one substantial motivating factors behind passage measure the terms bill unduly strict added spokesman texas attorney general ken taxon governor greg abbott republicans could reached comment in january supreme court declined hear case taxon said common sense law prevent voter fraud the ruling voter id comes month two federal judges ruled texas lawmakers drew three congressional districts undermine influence hispanic voters the measure requires voters present photo identification driver license passport military id card plaintiffs argued law hits elderly poorer voters including minorities hardest less likely identification they contend measure used republicans suppress voters typically align democrats the legislation effect since despite legal challenges ramos said law met criteria set supreme court show intent included discriminatory impact pattern explainable racial grounds texas history discriminatory practices law unusually swift passage kristen clarke president lawyers committee civil rights under law one plaintiffs said ruling showed states discriminatory laws would stand legal scrutiny this good ruling confirms long known texas voter id law stands one discriminatory voting restrictions kind said in shift stance former president barack obama justice department dropped discrimination claim law february the department said state legislature considering changing law ways might correct shortcomings politicsnews