By: Ellis S.B. No. 545 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to voter registration. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 13, Election Code, is 1-4 amended by adding Sections 13.123 and 13.124 to read as follows: 1-5 Sec. 13.123. REGISTRATION AT CERTAIN STATE AGENCIES. 1-6 (a) In this section, "state agency" means the Texas Department of 1-7 Human Services and any other state agency which deals directly with 1-8 the public in the provision of services. 1-9 (b) A state agency shall provide an opportunity to complete 1-10 a voter registration application form to each individual who 1-11 appears in person at an agency office to inquire about, request, 1-12 apply for, or receive services. 1-13 (c) If a state agency regularly uses a form for individuals 1-14 to inquire about, request, apply for, or receive services, the 1-15 state agency shall prescribe and use a form which combines the 1-16 regularly used form with an officially prescribed voter 1-17 registration application form. 1-18 (d) An appropriate employee of the state agency shall inform 1-19 each person appearing to inquire about, request, apply for, or 1-20 receive services of the opportunity to complete a voter 1-21 registration application form and on request shall provide 1-22 nonpartisan voter registration assistance to any interested person 1-23 on the premises. 2-1 (e) On receipt of a completed voter registration 2-2 application, the employee of the state agency shall note the date 2-3 of submission on the application and issue a receipt to the 2-4 applicant containing the applicant's name, the employee's name, the 2-5 location of the agency's office, and the date of submission. 2-6 (f) At the end of each day that a state agency office is 2-7 regularly open for business, the manager of the office shall 2-8 deliver by mail all completed voter registration applications to 2-9 the voter registrar of the county in which the office is located. 2-10 (g) The date of submission of a completed voter registration 2-11 application to a state agency employee is considered to be the date 2-12 of submission to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining 2-13 the effective date of registration only. 2-14 Sec. 13.124. REGISTRATION AT INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER 2-15 EDUCATION. (a) In this section, "institution of higher education" 2-16 means an institution of higher education as defined by Section 2-17 61.003, Education Code. 2-18 (b) All institutions of higher education shall make official 2-19 voter registration application forms available to students and 2-20 employees of the institution and to any other interested person on 2-21 the premises of the institution. 2-22 (c) Institution officials shall make official voter 2-23 registration application forms available to each person who applies 2-24 for admission or readmission to the institution or for assistance 2-25 under a program administered by the institution. 3-1 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993. 3-2 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-3 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-4 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-5 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-6 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.