AN ACT
1-1 relating to certain voter registration processes and procedures.
1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-3 SECTION 1. Subsection (a), Section 13.002, Election Code, is
1-4 amended to read as follows:
1-5 (a) A person desiring to register to vote must submit an
1-6 application to the registrar of the county in which the person
1-7 resides. An application must be submitted by personal delivery or
1-8 by mail.
1-9 SECTION 2. Section 13.004, Election Code, is amended to read
1-10 as follows:
1-11 Sec. 13.004. RECORDING OF TELEPHONE NUMBER OR SOCIAL
1-12 SECURITY NUMBER BY REGISTRAR [PROHIBITED]. (a) The registrar may
1-13 not transcribe, copy, or otherwise record a telephone number
1-14 furnished on a registration application.
1-15 (b) The registrar may transcribe, copy, or otherwise record
1-16 a social security number furnished on a registration application
1-17 only in maintaining the accuracy of the registration records.
1-18 SECTION 3. Subsection (a), Section 13.122, Election Code, is
1-19 amended to read as follows:
1-20 (a) In addition to the other statements and spaces for
1-21 entering information that appear on an officially prescribed
1-22 registration application form, each official form must include:
1-23 (1) the statement: "I understand that giving false
2-1 information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime
2-2 under state and federal law.";
2-3 (2) a space for the applicant's registration number;
2-4 (3) a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license
2-5 number or number of a personal identification card issued by the
2-6 Department of Public Safety;
2-7 (4) a space for the applicant's telephone number;
2-8 (5) a space for the applicant's social security
2-9 number;
2-10 (6) a space for the applicant's sex;
2-11 (7) a statement indicating that the furnishing of the
2-12 applicant's driver's license number, personal identification card
2-13 number, telephone number, social security number, and sex is
2-14 optional;
2-15 (8) a space or box for indicating whether the
2-16 applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a
2-17 change in current registration information;
2-18 (9) a statement instructing a voter who is using the
2-19 form to make a change in current registration information to enter
2-20 the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate
2-21 spaces on the form;
2-22 (10) a statement that if the applicant declines to
2-23 register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be
2-24 used only for voter registration purposes;
2-25 (11) [(9)] a statement that if the applicant does
3-1 register to vote, information regarding the agency or office to
3-2 which the application is submitted will remain confidential and
3-3 will be used only for voter registration purposes; and
3-4 (12) [(10)] any other voter registration information
3-5 required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by
3-6 the secretary of state.
3-7 SECTION 4. Subsection (e), Section 13.143, Election Code, is
3-8 amended to read as follows:
3-9 (e) If the 30th day before the date of an election is a
3-10 Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday, an
3-11 application [submitted by mail] is considered to be timely if it is
3-12 submitted to the registrar on or before [the date indicated by the
3-13 post office cancellation mark is] the next regular business day.
3-14 SECTION 5. Subsection (b), Section 15.021, Election Code, is
3-15 amended to read as follows:
3-16 (b) The voter shall use the registration certificate or a
3-17 registration application form as the notice, indicating the correct
3-18 information in the appropriate space on the certificate or
3-19 application form unless the voter does not have possession of the
3-20 certificate or an application form at the time of giving the
3-21 notice.
3-22 SECTION 6. Subsection (a), Section 16.031, Election Code, is
3-23 amended to read as follows:
3-24 (a) The registrar shall cancel a voter's registration
3-25 immediately on receipt of:
4-1 (1) notice under Section 13.072(b) or 15.021 or a
4-2 response under Section 15.053 that the voter's residence is outside
4-3 the county;
4-4 (2) an abstract of the voter's death certificate under
4-5 Section 16.001(a) or an abstract of an application indicating that
4-6 the voter is deceased under Section 16.001(b);
4-7 (3) an abstract of a final judgment of the voter's
4-8 mental incompetence, conviction of a felony, or disqualification
4-9 under Section 16.002, 16.003, or 16.004;
4-10 (4) notice under Section 112.012 that the voter has
4-11 applied for a limited ballot in another county; [or]
4-12 (5) notice from a voter registration official in
4-13 another state that the voter has registered to vote outside this
4-14 state; or
4-15 (6) notice from the secretary of state that the voter
4-16 has registered to vote in another county, as determined by the
4-17 voter's driver's license number or personal identification card
4-18 number issued by the Department of Public Safety or social security
4-19 number.
4-20 SECTION 7. Subsection (a), Section 19.001, Election Code, is
4-21 amended to read as follows:
4-22 (a) Before May 15 of each year, the registrar shall prepare
4-23 and submit to the comptroller of public accounts a statement
4-24 containing:
4-25 (1) the total number of initial registrations for the
5-1 previous voting year; [and]
5-2 (2) the total number of registrations canceled under
5-3 Sections 16.031(a)(1) and 16.033 for the previous voting year; and
5-4 (3) the total number of registrations for which
5-5 information was updated for the previous voting year.
5-6 SECTION 8. Subsection (a), Section 19.002, Election Code, is
5-7 amended to read as follows:
5-8 (a) Each registrar is entitled to receive the sum of the
5-9 following amounts:
5-10 (1) 25 [40] cents multiplied by the number of initial
5-11 registrations certified under Section 19.001(a)(1);
5-12 (2) 40 cents multiplied by the number of canceled
5-13 registrations certified under Section 19.001(a)(2); [and]
5-14 (3) 40 cents multiplied by the number of updated
5-15 registrations under Section 19.001(a)(3); and
5-16 (4) in each even-numbered year, 40 cents multiplied by
5-17 the difference between the number of registered voters and the
5-18 number of initial registrations certified for the two previous
5-19 voting years.
5-20 SECTION 9. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended by
5-21 adding Subsection (d) to read as follows:
5-22 (d) If a completed voter registration application submitted
5-23 to a department employee does not include the applicant's correct
5-24 driver's license number or personal identification card number, a
5-25 department employee shall enter the appropriate information on the
6-1 application. If a completed application does not include the
6-2 applicant's correct residence address or mailing address, a
6-3 department employee shall obtain the appropriate information from
6-4 the applicant and enter the information on the application.
6-5 SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
6-6 SECTION 11. The importance of this legislation and the
6-7 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
6-8 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
6-9 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
6-10 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 500 passed the Senate on
April 17, 1997, by a viva-voce vote; and that the Senate concurred
in House amendment on May 16, 1997, by the following vote:
Yeas 29, Nays 1.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 500 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 10, 1997, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor