Amend HB 2509 by adding the following appropriately numbered
sections to the bill and renumbering subsequent sections of the
bill to read appropriately:
SECTION __. Section 13.004, Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 13.004. RECORDING AND DISCLOSURE OF TELEPHONE NUMBER OR
SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER BY REGISTRAR. (a) The registrar may not
transcribe, copy, or otherwise record a telephone number furnished
on a registration application.
(b) The registrar may transcribe, copy, or otherwise record
a social security number furnished on a registration application
only in maintaining the accuracy of the registration records.
(c) A social security number or telephone number furnished
on a registration application is confidential and does not
constitute public information for purposes of Chapter 552,
Government Code. The registrar shall ensure that the social
security and telephone numbers are excluded from disclosure.
SECTION __. Section 13.122(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) In addition to the other statements and spaces for
entering information that appear on an officially prescribed
registration application form, each official form must include:
(1) the statement: "I understand that giving false
information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime
under state and federal law.";
(2) a space for the applicant's registration number;
(3) a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license
number or number of a personal identification card issued by the
Department of Public Safety;
(4) a space for the applicant's telephone number;
(5) a space for the applicant's social security
number;
(6) a space for the applicant's sex;
(7) a statement indicating that the omission
<furnishing> of the applicant's driver's license number, personal
identification card number, telephone number, social security
number, or <and> sex does not affect the validity of the
registration application <is optional>;
(8) a space or box for indicating whether the
applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a
change in current registration information;
(9) a statement instructing a voter who is using the
form to make a change in current registration information to enter
the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate
spaces on the form;
(10) a statement that if the applicant declines to
register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be
used only for voter registration purposes;
(11) a statement that if the applicant does register
to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the
application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used
only for voter registration purposes; and
(12) any other voter registration information required
by federal law or considered appropriate and required by the
secretary of state.
SECTION __. The heading to Subchapter C, Chapter 15,
Election Code, is amended to read as follows:
SUBCHAPTER C. CONFIRMATION OF REGISTRATION INFORMATION
<RESIDENCE>
SECTION __. Section 15.051(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) If the registrar:
(1) has reason to believe that a voter's current
residence is different from that indicated on the registration
records, the registrar shall deliver to the voter a written
confirmation notice requesting confirmation of the voter's current
residence; or
(2) receives information relating to the voter's death
from a source other than a source described by Section 16.001 or
16.031(b), the registrar shall deliver to the voter's address a
written confirmation notice requesting confirmation of the voter's
death.
SECTION __. Section 15.052, Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 15.052. OFFICIAL CONFIRMATION NOTICE AND CONFIRMATION
NOTICE RESPONSE FORMS. (a) The officially prescribed form for a
confirmation notice requesting confirmation of a voter's current
residence must include:
(1) a statement that, if the voter fails to submit to
the registrar a written, signed response confirming the voter's
current residence on or before the 30th day after the date the
confirmation notice is mailed:
(A) the voter is subject to submission of a
statement of residence before the voter may be accepted for voting
in an election held after that deadline; or
(B) for a notice delivered under Section 14.023,
the voter will remain subject to submission of a statement of
residence before the voter may be accepted for voting in an
election; and
(2) a warning that the voter's registration is subject
to cancellation if the voter fails to confirm the voter's current
residence either by notifying the registrar in writing or voting on
a statement of residence before November 30 following the second
general election for state and county officers that occurs after
the date the confirmation notice is mailed.
(b) The officially prescribed form for a confirmation notice
requesting confirmation of a voter's death must include:
(1) a section that may be completed and signed by any
person related within the second degree by consanguinity or
affinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code,
confirming by a sworn statement that the information relating to
the voter's death received by the registrar is correct;
(2) a section that must be completed and signed by the
voter notifying the registrar that information received by the
registrar relating to the voter's death is incorrect; and
(3) a statement that, if the completed and signed
section of the form described by Subdivision (2) is not submitted
to the registrar on or before the 60th day after the date the
confirmation notice is mailed, the voter's registration is subject
to cancellation in the same manner provided by Section 16.033.
(c) The official confirmation notice response form must be
postage prepaid and preaddressed for delivery to the registrar.
(d) <(c)> The registrar may prescribe a different design
from that prescribed by the secretary of state for an official
form, if approved by the secretary.
SECTION __. Section 15.053(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Not later than the 30th day after the date a
confirmation notice requesting confirmation of a voter's current
residence is mailed, the voter shall submit to the registrar a
written, signed response to the notice that confirms the voter's
current residence. Not later than the 60th day after the date a
confirmation notice requesting confirmation of a voter's death is
mailed, a voter who is incorrectly referenced as deceased shall
submit to the registrar a written, signed response to the notice
notifying the registrar that the information received by the
registrar relating to the voter's death is incorrect.
SECTION __. Section 18.008(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) The registrar shall furnish a copy of any list prepared
under this subchapter to any person requesting it. The copy shall
be furnished without the names of voters whose names appear on a
list with the notation "S", or a similar notation, if requested in
that form. The registrar shall furnish the list directly to the
person requesting it. If the county has contracted with a computer
service company or other private business entity for services
related to the lists required under this subchapter, the registrar
may not require the person requesting the list to contact the
company or other entity to obtain a copy of the list.
SECTION __. Section 20.035, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
follows:
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), an <An>
application shall be delivered to the registrar not later than 5
p.m. of the fifth day after the date the application is submitted
to the employee.
(c) An application submitted after the 34th day and before
the 29th day before the date of an election held on a uniform
election date or the date of a general primary election or the date
of a runoff primary election in which any qualified voter of the
county is eligible to vote shall be delivered not later than 5 p.m.
of the 29th day before election day.
SECTION __. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
(e) If an applicant for an original or renewal driver's
license, personal identification card, or duplicate or corrected
license or card completes a voter registration application form
provided by the department and the department issues a temporary
license or card, the department shall indicate on the temporary
license or card that the applicant has completed a voter
registration application form provided by the department. The
secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to permit a person to
use a temporary license or card issued under this subsection for
purposes of voting in an election.
SECTION __. Section 63.006, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) A voter who, when offering to vote, presents a temporary
license or card that indicates that the voter has completed a voter
registration application as provided by Section 20.063 (e) shall be
accepted for voting under this section if:
(1) the application was made at least 30 days before the
date of the election;
(2) the address indicated on the temporary license or card
indicates that the voter is a resident of the precinct in which the
voter is offering to vote or is otherwise entitled by law to vote
in that precinct;
(3) the voter completes a voter registration application at
the polling place; and
(3) the election judge reviews the voter registration
application.
SECTION __. Section 63.008, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
follows:
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a <A> voter who
does not present a voter registration certificate when offering to
vote, but whose name in on the list of registered voters for the
precinct in which the voter is offering to vote, shall be accepted
for voting if the voter executes an affidavit stating that the
voter does not have the voter's voter registration certificate in
the voter's possession at the polling place at the time of offering
to vote and:
(1) the voter presents proof of identification in a
form described by Section 63.0101; or
(2) the affidavit is also signed by a person who is
working at the polling place and who attests to the identity of the
voter.
(c) A voter who, when offering to vote , presents a
temporary license or card that indicates that the voter has
completed a voter registration application as provided by Section
20.063(e) and whose name is on the list of registered voters for
the precinct in which the voter is offering the vote shall be
accepted for voting under Section 63.001 if:
(1) The application was made at least 30 days before
the date of the election and
(2) the address indicated in the temporary license or
card indicates that the voter is a resident of the precinct in
which the voter is offering to vote in that precinct.
SECTION __. Section 521.101, Transportation Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (j) to read as follows:
(j) If an applicant for a personal identification
certificate or a duplicate or corrected certificate completes a
voter registration application form provided by the department
under Subchapter C, Chapter 20, Election Code, and the department
issues a temporary certificate, the department shall indicate on
the temporary certificate that the applicant has completed a voter
registration application form provided by the department.
SECTION __. Section 521.124, Transportation Code, is amended
by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) If an applicant for an original or renewal of a driver's
license or a duplicate or corrected license completes a voter
registration application form provided by the department and the
department issues a temporary license, the department shall
indicate on the temporary license that the applicant has completed
a voter registration application form provided by the department.
SECTION __. (a) The secretary of state shall study the
feasibility of developing a standardized electronic format for
entering voter information relating to residence address, including
reviewing any United States Postal Service approved software for
address standardization, for the purpose of identifying duplicate
registrations by voters.
(b) Not later than December 1, 2002, the secretary of state
shall issue a report summarizing:
(1) any recommendations by the secretary for address
standardization;
(2) any legislation proposed by the secretary for
address standardization; and
(3) any other findings or recommendations related to
the issue of address standardization.
(c) The secretary of state shall promptly deliver copies of
the report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the
speaker of the house of representatives.
SECTION __. On or before January 1, 2002, the secretary of
state shall prescribe:
(1) a voter registration application form that
conforms to the changes made by Section 13.122, Election Code, as
amended by this Act; and
(2) a form for a confirmation notice and a
confirmation notice response that conforms to the changes made by
Sections 15.052 and 15.053, Election Code, as amended by this Act.
SECTION __. On or before January 1, 2002, the Department of
Public Safety shall prescribe a temporary license form and a
temporary personal identification certificate form that conforms to
the changes made by Section 20.063(e), Election Code, as added by
this Act, and Sections 521.101(j) and 521.124(c), Transportation
Code, as added by this Act.
SECTION __. (a) Except as provided by this section, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
(b) The changes in law made by Section 13.122(a), Election
Code, as amended or added by this Act, take effect January 1, 2002,
and apply only to voter registration application forms produced on
or after that date. Voter registration application forms produced
before January 1, 2002, may continue to be used until the supply is
exhausted, and the former law governing those forms is continued in
effect for that purpose.
(c) The changes in law made by Section 20.063(e), Election
Code, as added by this Act, and Sections 521.101(j) and 521.124(c),
Transportation Code, as added by this Act, take effect January 1,
2002.