By Jones of Dallas, Hodge H.B. No. 2925
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the use of a receipt issued by certain voter
1-3 registration entities to a person on completing an application for
1-4 voter registration.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 13.040, Election Code, is amended to read
1-7 as follows:
1-8 Sec. 13.040. ISSUANCE OF RECEIPT. (a) On receipt of a
1-9 completed registration application, a volunteer deputy registrar
1-10 shall prepare a receipt in triplicate [duplicate] on a form
1-11 furnished by the registrar.
1-12 (b) The receipt must contain:
1-13 (1) the name of the applicant and, if applicable, the
1-14 name of the applicant's agent; [and]
1-15 (2) the address of the applicant, including the city
1-16 and postal zip code;
1-17 (3) the date the completed application is submitted to
1-18 the volunteer deputy; and
1-19 (4) the following statement: "This is an official
1-20 receipt of an application to register to vote. This receipt may be
1-21 submitted by a voter in place of a voter registration certificate
1-22 in an election that occurs at least 30 days after the date the
1-23 application to register is completed."[.]
1-24 (c) The volunteer deputy shall sign the receipt in the
2-1 applicant's presence and shall give the original to the applicant.
2-2 (d) The volunteer deputy shall retain one copy of the
2-3 receipt and deliver the remaining copy [duplicate receipt] to the
2-4 registrar with the registration application. The registrar shall
2-5 retain the receipt on file with the application.
2-6 (e) The secretary of state may prescribe a procedure that is
2-7 an alternative to the procedure prescribed by this section that
2-8 will ensure the accountability of the registration applications.
2-9 SECTION 2. Section 63.006, Election Code, is amended by
2-10 adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
2-11 (c) A voter who, when offering to vote, presents a receipt
2-12 of an application to register to vote issued under Section 13.040
2-13 shall be accepted for voting under this section if:
2-14 (1) the application was made at least 30 days but not
2-15 more than 90 days before the date of the election;
2-16 (2) the address indicated on the receipt indicates
2-17 that the voter is a resident of the precinct in which the voter is
2-18 offering to vote or is otherwise entitled by law to vote in that
2-19 precinct;
2-20 (3) the voter completes a voter registration
2-21 application at the polling place; and
2-22 (4) the election judge reviews the voter registration
2-23 application.
2-24 SECTION 3. Section 63.008, Election Code, is amended by
2-25 amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
2-26 follows:
2-27 (a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), a [A] voter who
3-1 does not present a voter registration certificate when offering to
3-2 vote, but whose name is on the list of registered voters for the
3-3 precinct in which the voter is offering to vote, shall be accepted
3-4 for voting if the voter executes an affidavit stating that the
3-5 voter does not have the voter's voter registration certificate in
3-6 the voter's possession at the polling place at the time of offering
3-7 to vote and:
3-8 (1) the voter presents proof of identification in a
3-9 form described by Section 63.0101; or
3-10 (2) the affidavit is also signed by a person who is
3-11 working at the polling place and who attests to the identity of the
3-12 voter.
3-13 (c) A voter who, when offering to vote, presents a receipt
3-14 of an application to register to vote issued under Section 13.040
3-15 and whose name is on the list of registered voters for the precinct
3-16 in which the voter is offering to vote shall be accepted for voting
3-17 under Section 63.001 if:
3-18 (1) the application was made at least 30 days but not
3-19 more than 90 days before the date of the election; and
3-20 (2) the address indicated on the receipt indicates
3-21 that the voter is a resident of the precinct in which the voter is
3-22 offering to vote or is otherwise entitled by law to vote in that
3-23 precinct.
3-24 SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.