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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to automatic voter registration on issuance or change of a |
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driver's license or identification card by the Department of Public |
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Safety. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.009. VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF |
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PUBLIC SAFETY. (a) The voter registrar of each county shall |
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automatically register any county resident who is eligible to vote |
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as provided by Section 13.001 and: |
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(1) is issued a Texas driver's license or a personal |
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identification card by the Department of Public Safety; or |
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(2) makes a change to a Texas driver's license or |
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personal identification card issued by the Department of Public |
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Safety. |
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(b) A driver's license or personal identification card |
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transaction with an indication provided by Section 20.062(b) or |
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20.063(c) that the transaction is not for voter registration |
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purposes is not subject to this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 20.061, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 20.061. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other |
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provisions of this chapter apply to the Department of Public Safety |
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except provisions that conflict with this subchapter or Section |
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13.009. |
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SECTION 3. Section 20.062(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The department shall prescribe and use a change of |
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address form and procedure that combines department and voter |
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registration functions. The form must allow a licensee or |
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cardholder to indicate that [whether] the change of address is not |
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[also to be used] for voter registration purposes. |
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SECTION 4. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 20.063. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) The Department |
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of Public Safety shall consider an application made in person, by |
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mail, or online at the department's Internet website [provide to |
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each person who applies in person at the department's offices] for |
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an original or renewal of a driver's license, a personal |
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identification card, or a duplicate or corrected license or card by |
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a person who is eligible to vote as provided by Section 13.001 an |
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application for [opportunity to complete a] voter registration. |
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The date of application is considered to be the date of submission |
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to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective |
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date of registration [application form]. |
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(b) The Department of Public Safety shall consider a change |
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of address that relates to [When the department processes] a |
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license or card and that is submitted to [for renewal by mail,] the |
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department [shall deliver to the applicant by mail a voter |
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registration application form. |
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[(c) A change of address that relates to a license or card |
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and that is submitted to the department] in person, [or] by mail, or |
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online at the department's Internet website [serves] as a change in |
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[of address for] voter registration [unless the licensee or |
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cardholder indicates that the change is not for voter registration |
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purposes]. The date of submission of a change of address to a |
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department employee is considered to be the date of submission to |
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the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective |
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date of registration [only]. |
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(c) The registration of an eligible [(d) If a completed] |
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voter as required by Subsections (a) and (b) is automatic unless the |
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person indicates that the transaction is not for voter |
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registration purposes [application submitted to a department |
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employee does not include the applicant's correct driver's license |
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number or personal identification card number, a department |
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employee shall enter the appropriate information on the |
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application. If a completed application does not include the |
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applicant's correct residence address or mailing address, a |
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department employee shall obtain the appropriate information from |
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the applicant and enter the information on the application]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 20.065(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Each weekday the department is regularly open for |
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business, the department shall electronically transfer to the |
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secretary of state the name and information designated by the |
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secretary of state for [of each person who completes a] voter |
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registration for each individual who is eligible to vote as |
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provided by Section 13.001 and applies in person, by mail, or online |
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at the department's Internet website for an original or renewal of a |
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driver's license, a personal identification card, or a duplicate or |
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corrected license or card [application submitted to the |
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department]. The secretary shall prescribe procedures necessary to |
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implement this subsection. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |