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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to automatic voter registration of students enrolled in |
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public institutions of higher education. |
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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 INSTITUTIONS OF |
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HIGHER EDUCATION. (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 is enrolled in an institution of |
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higher education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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(b) A student's application for enrollment in an |
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institution of higher education with an indication provided by |
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Section 20.133(b) that the enrollment is not for voter registration |
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purposes is not subject to this section. |
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(c) The secretary of state shall adopt rules and prescribe |
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procedures for the implementation of this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 20.001, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: |
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(f) Each institution of higher education, as defined by |
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Section 61.003, Education Code, is designated as a voter |
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registration agency. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 20, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter F to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER F. INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER EDUCATION |
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Sec. 20.131. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "institution |
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of higher education" has the meaning assigned by Section 61.003, |
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Education Code. |
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Sec. 20.132. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other |
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provisions of this chapter apply to an institution of higher |
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education except provisions that conflict with this subchapter or |
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Section 13.009. |
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Sec. 20.133. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) An institution |
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of higher education shall consider each person of voting age who |
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enrolls at the institution an applicant for voter registration, |
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except as otherwise indicated by the person. |
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(b) An institution of higher education shall prescribe and |
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use a form and procedure that combines the institution's |
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application for enrollment with an officially prescribed voter |
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registration application form. The form and procedure must include |
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the option for an applicant to provide an appropriate address at the |
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time of enrollment in the institution. The form must allow an |
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applicant to indicate that the applicant does not wish the |
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applicant's enrollment to be used for voter registration purposes. |
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(c) The design, content, and physical characteristics of |
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the institution's forms must be approved by the secretary of state. |
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Sec. 20.134. RULES. The secretary of state shall prescribe |
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additional procedures as necessary to implement this subchapter. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |