By Goolsby                                      H.B. No. 1645

      75R4062 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to cancellation of the voter registrations of persons who

 1-3     are not United States citizens.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 62, Government Code, is

 1-6     amended by adding Section 62.113 to read as follows:

 1-7           Sec. 62.113.  COMPILATION OF LIST OF NONCITIZENS.  (a)  The

 1-8     clerk of the court shall maintain a list of the name and address of

 1-9     each person who is excused or disqualified under this subchapter

1-10     from jury service because the person is not a citizen of the United

1-11     States.

1-12           (b)  On the third business day of each month, the clerk shall

1-13     send a copy of the list of persons excused or disqualified because

1-14     of citizenship in the previous month to the voter registrar of the

1-15     county.

1-16           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 16, Election Code, is

1-17     amended by adding Section 16.0332 to read as follows:

1-18           Sec. 16.0332.  CANCELLATION BECAUSE OF CITIZENSHIP STATUS.

1-19     (a)  After the registrar receives a list under Section 62.113,

1-20     Government Code, of persons excused or disqualified from jury

1-21     service because of citizenship status, the registrar shall deliver

1-22     to each registered voter who appears on the list a written notice

1-23     requiring the voter to provide proof of United States citizenship

1-24     in a form prescribed by the secretary of state.  The notice shall

 2-1     be delivered by forwardable mail to the mailing address on the

 2-2     voter's registration application and to any new address of the

 2-3     voter known to the registrar.

 2-4           (b)  If a voter fails to provide the registrar with proof of

 2-5     citizenship before the 31st day after the date the notice is mailed

 2-6     to the voter, the registrar shall cancel the voter's registration.

 2-7           (c)  The registrar shall retain a copy of the notice mailed

 2-8     to a voter under this section on file with the voter's registration

 2-9     application.  The registrar shall also retain any proof of

2-10     citizenship received under this section on file with the

2-11     application.

2-12           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-13           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-14     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-15     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-16     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-17     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.