By Maxey                                               H.B. No. 613
         77R2744 PAM-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to permitting voter registrars to accept voter
 1-3     registration applications and digital signatures on voter
 1-4     registration applications submitted by digital transmission.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1.  Section 13.002(a), Election Code, is amended to
 1-7     read as follows:
 1-8           (a)  A person desiring to register to vote must submit an
 1-9     application to the registrar of the county in which the person
1-10     resides.  Except as provided by Section 13.0021, an [An]
1-11     application must be submitted by personal delivery or by mail.
1-12           SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
1-13     amended by adding Section 13.0021 to read as follows:
1-14           Sec. 13.0021.  APPLICATION BY DIGITAL TRANSMISSION.  (a)  The
1-15     commissioners court by written order may permit the submission of a
1-16     registration application to the registrar of the county by digital
1-17     transmission.
1-18           (b)  A digital signature on a registration application
1-19     submitted by digital transmission is sufficient to satisfy the
1-20     requirements of Section 13.002(b).
1-21           (c)  The secretary of state shall:
1-22                 (1)  adopt rules to:
1-23                       (A)  approve technologies for submitting a
1-24     registration application by digital transmission under this
 2-1     section; and
 2-2                       (B)  approve technologies capable of creating
 2-3     digital signatures that are:
 2-4                             (i)  unique to the person using the
 2-5     signature;
 2-6                             (ii)  capable of verification;
 2-7                             (iii)  under the sole control of the person
 2-8     using the signature;
 2-9                             (iv)  linked to the registration
2-10     application in a manner that, if the information in the application
2-11     is changed, the signature is invalidated; and
2-12                             (v)  consistent with any other criteria the
2-13     secretary determines necessary to ensure the validity of the
2-14     signature; and
2-15                 (2)  prescribe additional procedures as necessary to
2-16     implement a system for the digital transmission of registration
2-17     applications and the use of digital signatures on registration
2-18     applications.
2-19           SECTION 3.  (a)  This Act takes effect January 1, 2002.
2-20           (b)  On or before December 31, 2001, the secretary of state
2-21     shall adopt rules and prescribe procedures, as necessary, as
2-22     provided by Section 13.0021(c), as added by this Act.