By Maxey H.B. No. 615
77R594 PAM-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to requiring voter registrars to accept voter registration
1-3 applications and digital signatures on voter registration
1-4 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, Election Code, is amended by
1-7 amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (e) to read
1-8 as follows:
1-9 (a) A person desiring to register to vote must submit an
1-10 application to the registrar of the county in which the person
1-11 resides. An application must be submitted by personal delivery,
1-12 [or] by mail, or by digital transmission.
1-13 (b) A registration application must be in writing and signed
1-14 by the applicant. A digital signature submitted by digital
1-15 transmission is sufficient to satisfy the requirements of this
1-16 subsection.
1-17 (e) The secretary of state shall:
1-18 (1) adopt rules to:
1-19 (A) approve technologies for submitting a
1-20 registration application by digital transmission under Subsection
1-21 (a); and
1-22 (B) approve technologies capable of creating
1-23 digital signatures that are:
1-24 (i) unique to the person using the
2-1 signature;
2-2 (ii) capable of verification;
2-3 (iii) under the sole control of the person
2-4 using the signature;
2-5 (iv) linked to the registration
2-6 application in a manner that, if the information in the application
2-7 is changed, the signature is invalidated; and
2-8 (v) consistent with any other criteria the
2-9 secretary determines necessary to ensure the validity of the
2-10 signature; and
2-11 (2) prescribe additional procedures as necessary to
2-12 implement a system for the digital transmission of registration
2-13 applications and the use of digital signatures on registration
2-14 applications.
2-15 SECTION 2. (a) This Act takes effect January 1, 2002.
2-16 (b) On or before December 31, 2001, the secretary of state
2-17 shall adopt rules and prescribe procedures, as necessary, as
2-18 provided by Section 13.002(e), as added by this Act.