New report shows Texans' stance on several different legislative issues

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A report by the University of Houston's Hobby School of Public Affairs examined Texans' stance on legislation regarding various topics that will be considered in 2023, two of which will be immigration and election reform.

"Between three-fifths and two-thirds of Texans support deploying the Texas National Guard to the border, spending $2 billion a year on border security and bussing asylum seekers to northern cities," Mark Jones, a research associate at the Hobby School of Public Affairs, said.

According to the 22-page report, 65% of Texans support national guards patrolling the U.S.- Mexico border, and 61% support the state using $2 billion on border security annually.

"Overall, the governor's immigration policies are very popular with Texans and exceptionally popular with Texas' Republicans," Jones said.

Another popular topic in the report was election reform.

According to the survey, 71% of Texans support making the penalty for illegal voting a felony, and 65% support legislation allowing all voters, instead of only those aged 65 and older, to vote absentee.

Other numbers showed overwhelming support from Texans on banning the possession or purchase of a gun by anyone with a restraining order for domestic violence, with 86% supporting a required criminal background check for all gun buyers.

Regarding abortion, the report stated that 77% supported legislation that would allow an abortion to take place if the pregnancy was the result of rape, with 81% supporting abortion if the pregnancy was the result of incest.

The report, which took place between Jan. 9 and Jan. 19, surveyed Texans of different genders, ages, races, and ethnicities.

Ahead of the 2023 legislative session, Eyewitness News reached out to different legislators favoring and opposing current immigration policies to hear their take on the report's findings and have not heard back.