1-1 By: Ellis S.B. No. 545
1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 2, 1993; March 2, 1993, read
1-3 first time and referred to Subcommittee on Elections and Ethics;
1-4 April 22, 1993, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 2; April 22, 1993,
1-6 sent to printer.)
1-7 COMMITTEE VOTE
1-8 Yea Nay PNV Absent
1-9 Carriker x
1-10 Harris of Dallas x
1-11 Ellis x
1-12 Henderson x
1-13 Luna x
1-14 Parker x
1-15 Wentworth x
1-16 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 545 By: Ellis
1-17 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-18 AN ACT
1-19 relating to voter registration.
1-20 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-21 SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
1-22 amended by adding Section 13.123 to read as follows:
1-23 Sec. 13.123. REGISTRATION AT CERTAIN STATE AGENCIES.
1-24 (a) In this section, "state agency" means the Texas Department of
1-25 Human Services and the Texas Employment Commission.
1-26 (b) A state agency shall provide an opportunity to complete
1-27 a voter registration application form to each individual who
1-28 appears in person at an agency office to inquire about, request,
1-29 apply for, or receive services.
1-30 (c) If a state agency regularly uses a form for individuals
1-31 to inquire about, request, apply for, or receive services, the
1-32 state agency shall include the following language on the form: "If
1-33 you are not registered at your current address, would you like to
1-34 register here today? _____YES _____NO". The agency may also
1-35 include the following language after the question: "You may
1-36 receive government services without being registered to vote."
1-37 (d) An existing frontline employee of the state agency shall
1-38 provide a voter registration application form and on request shall
1-39 provide nonpartisan voter registration assistance to any interested
1-40 person who indicates a desire to register on the agency's form.
1-41 (e) On receipt of a completed voter registration
1-42 application, the employee of the state agency shall note the date
1-43 of submission on the application and provide a receipt with the
1-44 date and language stating "voter registration card received" to the
1-45 registering client.
1-46 (f) The agency shall establish a process to deliver by mail
1-47 all completed voter registration applications to the voter
1-48 registrar of the county in which the office is located, no later
1-49 than the following business day that a state agency office is
1-50 regularly open for business.
1-51 (g) The date of submission of a completed voter registration
1-52 application to a state agency employee is considered to be the date
1-53 of submission to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining
1-54 the effective date of registration only.
1-55 (h) In this section, "existing frontline employee" means any
1-56 employee already in a position to accept forms from the public.
1-57 SECTION 2. A state agency subject to the requirements of
1-58 this Act shall add the language required by Subsection (c), Section
1-59 13.123, Election Code, as added by this Act, to existing forms with
1-60 an inked rubber stamp. When existing forms have been depleted, the
1-61 agency shall add the language to the form when reprinting.
1-62 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
1-63 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-64 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-65 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-66 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-67 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-68 * * * * *
2-1 Austin,
2-2 Texas
2-3 April 22, 1993
2-4 Hon. Bob Bullock
2-5 President of the Senate
2-6 Sir:
2-7 We, your Subcommittee on Elections and Ethics to which was referred
2-8 S.B. No. 545, have had the same under consideration, and I am
2-9 instructed to report it back to the Senate with the recommendation
2-10 that it do not pass, but that the Committee Substitute adopted in
2-11 lieu thereof do pass and be printed.
2-12 Carriker,
2-13 Chairman
2-14 * * * * *
2-15 WITNESSES
2-16 FOR AGAINST ON
2-17 ___________________________________________________________________
2-18 Name: Tom Harrison x
2-19 Representing: Secretary of State
2-20 City: Austin
2-21 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-22 Name: James Ratliff x
2-23 Representing:
2-24 City: Austin
2-25 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-26 Name: Tina Morton x
2-27 Representing: Travis Cnty Tax Office
2-28 City: Austin
2-29 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-30 Name: Judy Denton x
2-31 Representing: Tx Dept. of Human Services
2-32 City: Austin
2-33 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-34 Name: William Grossenbacher x
2-35 Representing: Tx Employment Commission
2-36 City: Austin
2-37 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-38 Name: Maxine Barkan x
2-39 Representing: League of Women Voters of Tx
2-40 City: Austin
2-41 -------------------------------------------------------------------
2-42 Name: Tom Smith x
2-43 Representing: Public Citizen
2-44 City: Austin
2-45 -------------------------------------------------------------------