The Republican-led Texas state Senate approved legislation on April 1 that would ban mail-in ballot drop boxes and most drive-thru voting, a measure that Republicans say “ensures election integrity,” while Democrats say it’s voter suppression and makes it harder for people with disabilities and ethnic minorities to vote. The bill, which passed 18–13 along party lines, will now head to the state’s House of Representatives. Committee hearings are slated to start when the lawmakers convene on April 6. The measure, according to state Sen. Bryan Hughes, a Republican, is “designed to address areas through process where bad actors can take advantage because we want the people of Texas to be confident their elections are fair, honest, and open.” The legislation “standardizes and clarifies” voting rules so “every Texan has a fair and equal opportunity to vote, regardless of where they live in the state.” It also will require voters who have disabilities to …