By Ellis                                                S.B. No. 83

      75R1192 GGS-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the registration of voters at a polling place.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding

 1-5     Section 63.0091 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 63.0091.  REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE; VOTING

 1-7     PROCEDURES.  (a)  This section applies to the conduct of voting and

 1-8     to the registration of voters notwithstanding and in addition to

 1-9     other applicable provisions of this code.

1-10           (b)  A person who would be eligible to vote in an election

1-11     under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered

1-12     voter, shall be accepted for voting in the precinct of the person's

1-13     residence if, on the day the person offers to vote, the person:

1-14                 (1)  submits a voter registration application that

1-15     complies with Section 13.002; and

1-16                 (2)  presents one or more forms of identification,

1-17     approved by the secretary of state, that establish the person's

1-18     identity and residence; or

1-19                 (3)  submits an affidavit that:

1-20                       (A)  is executed by a registered voter of the

1-21     precinct who is present at the polling place with the person; and

1-22                       (B)  states the person's residence address or, if

1-23     the residence has no address, the address at which the person

1-24     receives mail and a concise description of the location of the

 2-1     person's residence, and states that the affiant has personal

 2-2     knowledge of the location of the person's residence.

 2-3           (c)  Persons voting under this section shall be processed

 2-4     separately at the polling place from persons who are voting under

 2-5     regular procedures.

 2-6           (d)  The secretary of state shall prescribe the procedures

 2-7     necessary to implement this section and to ensure the proper and

 2-8     orderly conduct of elections.

 2-9           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

2-10           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

2-11     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

2-12     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

2-13     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

2-14     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.