1-1     By:  Goolsby (Senate Sponsor - Carona)                H.B. No. 1645

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 16, 1997;

 1-3     May 16, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-4     Jurisprudence; May 18, 1997, reported favorably by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to cancellation of the voter registrations of persons who

 1-9     are not United States citizens; providing a penalty.

1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-11           SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 62, Government Code, is

1-12     amended by adding Section 62.113 to read as follows:

1-13           Sec. 62.113.  COMPILATION OF LIST OF NONCITIZENS.  (a)  The

1-14     clerk of the court shall maintain a list of the name and address of

1-15     each person who is excused or disqualified under this subchapter

1-16     from jury service because the person is not a citizen of the United

1-17     States.

1-18           (b)  On the third business day of each month, the clerk shall

1-19     send a copy of the list of persons excused or disqualified because

1-20     of citizenship in the previous month to the voter registrar of the

1-21     county.

1-22           (c)  A list compiled under this section may not be used for a

1-23     purpose other than a purpose described by Subsection (b) or Section

1-24     16.0332, Election Code.

1-25           (d)  A person commits an offense if the person violates

1-26     Subsection (c).  An offense under this section is a Class C

1-27     misdemeanor.

1-28           SECTION 2.  Subchapter B, Chapter 16, Election Code, is

1-29     amended by adding Section 16.0332 to read as follows:

1-30           Sec. 16.0332.  CANCELLATION BECAUSE OF CITIZENSHIP STATUS.

1-31     (a)  After the registrar receives a list under Section 62.113,

1-32     Government Code, of persons excused or disqualified from jury

1-33     service because of citizenship status, the registrar shall deliver

1-34     to each registered voter who appears on the list a written notice

1-35     requiring the voter to provide proof of United States citizenship

1-36     in a form prescribed by the secretary of state.  The notice shall

1-37     be delivered by forwardable mail to the mailing address on the

1-38     voter's registration application and to any new address of the

1-39     voter known to the registrar.

1-40           (b)  If a voter fails to provide the registrar with proof of

1-41     citizenship before the 31st day after the date the notice is mailed

1-42     to the voter, the registrar shall cancel the voter's registration.

1-43           (c)  The registrar shall retain a copy of the notice mailed

1-44     to a voter under this section on file with the voter's registration

1-45     application.  The registrar shall also retain any proof of

1-46     citizenship received under this section on file with the

1-47     application.

1-48           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-49           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-50     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-51     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-52     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-53     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-54                                  * * * * *