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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the voter registration of naturalized United States |
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citizens. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 13.002(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Section 13.009, a [A] person |
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desiring to register to vote must submit an application to the |
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registrar of the county in which the person resides. Except as |
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provided by Subsection (e), an application must be submitted by |
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personal delivery, by mail, or by telephonic facsimile machine in |
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accordance with Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2). |
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SECTION 2. 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 OF NATURALIZED CITIZEN. |
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(a) The voter registrar of each county shall automatically |
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register a resident of the county who is eligible to vote as |
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provided by Section 13.001 upon issuance of a certificate of |
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naturalization by the United States Citizenship and Immigration |
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Services. |
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(b) For the purposes of Subsection (a), the Department of |
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Public Safety may, in cooperation with the United States |
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Citizenship and Immigration Services, establish a procedure by |
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which the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services |
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notifies the department when a person lawfully present in this |
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state is issued a certificate of naturalization. |
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(c) A procedure established under Subsection (b) must |
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require the Department of Public Safety to provide the information |
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received from the United States Citizenship and Immigration |
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Services to the appropriate county registrar. |
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(d) If the United States Citizenship and Immigration |
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Services fails to notify the Department of Public Safety that a |
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person lawfully present in this state has been issued a certificate |
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of naturalization, the newly naturalized citizen may present the |
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certificate of naturalization to the appropriate county registrar |
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in satisfaction of Section 13.002(c)(3). The registrar shall |
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assist the person in registering to vote. |
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(e) The secretary of state may adopt rules to implement this |
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section as necessary. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |