88R14436 PRL-D

By: Garcia H.B. No. 2979

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to an indication on a voter's voter registration certificate that a voter is a veteran.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 13.071, Election Code, is amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:

(c) The registrar shall compile a list of each submitted application for registration that indicates the applicant served in the active military, naval, or air service and was discharged or released from the service under conditions other than dishonorable.

(d) The secretary of state shall prescribe the procedures for the transmission of the information collected under Subsection (c) to the Texas Veterans Commission.

SECTION 2. Section 13.122(a), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) In addition to the other statements and spaces for entering information that appear on an officially prescribed registration application form, each official form must include:

(1) the statement: "I understand that giving false information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime under state and federal law.";

(2) a space for the applicant's registration number;

(3) a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license number or number of a personal identification card issued by the Department of Public Safety;

(4) a space for the applicant's telephone number;

(5) a space for the applicant's social security number;

(6) a space for the applicant's sex;

(7) a statement indicating that the furnishing of the applicant's telephone number and sex is optional;

(8) a space or box for indicating whether the applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a change in current registration information;

(9) a statement instructing a voter who is using the form to make a change in current registration information to enter the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate spaces on the form;

(10) a statement that if the applicant declines to register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes;

(11) a statement that if the applicant does register to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used only for voter registration purposes;

(12) a space or box for indicating whether the applicant is interested in working as an election judge;

(13) a statement warning that a conviction for making a false statement may result in imprisonment for up to the maximum amount of time provided by law, a fine of up to the maximum amount provided by law, or both the imprisonment and the fine; [and]

(14) a space or box for indicating whether the applicant served in the active military, naval, or air service and was discharged or released from the service under conditions other than dishonorable; and

(15) [(14)] any other voter registration information required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by the secretary of state.

SECTION 3. Section 15.001(a), Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Each voter registration certificate issued must contain:

(1) the voter's name in the form indicated by the voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section 13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state;

(2) the voter's residence address or, if the residence has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a concise description of the location of the voter's residence;

(3) the year of the voter's birth;

(4) the number of the county election precinct in which the voter resides;

(5) the voter's effective date of registration if an initial certificate;

(6) the voter's registration number;

(7) an indication of the period for which the certificate is issued;

(8) a statement explaining the circumstances under which the voter will receive a new certificate;

(9) a space for stamping the voter's political party affiliation;

(10) a statement that voting with the certificate by a person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued is a felony;

(11) a space for the voter's signature;

(12) a statement that the voter must sign the certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt;

(13) a space for the voter to correct the information on the certificate followed by a signature line;

(14) the statement: "If any information on this certificate changes or is incorrect, correct the information in the space provided, sign below, and return this certificate to the voter registrar.";

(15) the registrar's mailing address and telephone number; [and]

(16) the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as determined by the voter registrar:

(A) congressional district;

(B) state senatorial district;

(C) state representative district;

(D) commissioners precinct;

(E) justice precinct;

(F) city election precinct; and

(G) school district election precinct; and

(17) an indication that the voter is a "veteran," if the voter stated on the voter's registration application that the voter served in the active military, naval, or air service and was discharged or released from the service under conditions other than dishonorable.

SECTION 4. The change in law made by this Act to Section 13.122(a), Election Code, applies only to a voter registration application distributed on or after September 1, 2023. A voter registration application distributed before September 1, 2023, is covered by the law in effect when the application was distributed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.