By Grusendorf                                         H.B. No. 2121
         77R7952 GGS-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to voting by persons convicted of a felony.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1. Section 11.002, Election Code, is amended to read
 1-5     as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 11.002.  QUALIFIED VOTER. In this code, "qualified
 1-7     voter" means a person who:
 1-8                 (1)  is 18 years of age or older;
 1-9                 (2)  is a United States citizen;
1-10                 (3)  has not been determined mentally incompetent by a
1-11     final judgment of a court;
1-12                 (4)  has not been finally convicted of a felony or, if
1-13     so convicted, has[:]
1-14                       [(A)  fully discharged the person's sentence,
1-15     including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or
1-16     completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or]
1-17                       [(B)]  been pardoned or otherwise released from
1-18     the resulting disability to vote;
1-19                 (5)  is a resident of this state; and
1-20                 (6)  is a registered voter.
1-21           SECTION 2. Section 13.001(a), Election Code, is amended to
1-22     read as follows:
1-23           (a)  To be eligible for registration as a voter in this
1-24     state, a person must:
 2-1                 (1)  be 18 years of age or older;
 2-2                 (2)  be a United States citizen;
 2-3                 (3)  not have been determined mentally incompetent by a
 2-4     final judgment of a court;
 2-5                 (4)  not have been finally convicted of a felony or, if
 2-6     so convicted, must have[:]
 2-7                       [(A)  fully discharged the person's sentence,
 2-8     including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or
 2-9     completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or]
2-10                       [(B)]  been pardoned or otherwise released from
2-11     the resulting disability to vote; and
2-12                 (5)  be a resident of the county in which application
2-13     for registration is made.
2-14           SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.