By:  Alonzo                                                       H.B. No. 52 



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to allowing a political subdivision to hold a local option 
election on whether a lawfully admitted resident alien may vote in 
an election held by the political subdivision.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Title 2, Election Code, is amended by adding 
Chapter 20 to read as follows:

CHAPTER 20.  VOTING BY RESIDENT ALIEN
	Sec. 20.001.  LOCAL OPTION ELECTION.  (a)  The governing body 
of a political subdivision may order an election in the political 
subdivision on the question of whether a person who is lawfully 
admitted for permanent residence, as defined by 8 U.S.C. Section 
1101, may vote in an election held by the political subdivision.
	(b)  At the election, the ballot shall be printed to permit 
voting for or against the proposition: "Voting by a person lawfully 
admitted for permanent residence in the United States in an 
election held by (name of political subdivision)."
	(c)  If a majority of the votes received in the election 
approve the proposition:
		(1)  a person who meets the qualifications to vote 
under Section 11.002 except that the person is not a United States 
citizen is qualified to vote in an election held by the political 
subdivision if the person is lawfully admitted for permanent 
residence; and
		(2)  a person who is eligible to register to vote under 
Section 13.001 except that the person is not a United States citizen 
is eligible to register to vote in an election held by the political 
subdivision if the person is lawfully admitted for permanent 
residence.
	Sec. 20.002.  FORMS AND PROCEDURE.  (a)  The secretary of 
state shall prescribe the design and content of a:
		(1)  form to apply for registration to vote by a person 
who is qualified to vote under this chapter; and
		(2)  limited use voter registration certificate for a 
person who has registered to vote under this chapter.
	(b)  The procedure for the administration of a limited use 
voter registration certificate issued under this chapter is the 
same as the procedure for the administration of a voter 
registration certificate under this title.
	(c)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the 
verification of a person's status at the time a person applies to 
register to vote under this chapter.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2004, but only 
if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 78th Legislature, 
Second Called Session, 2003, relating to permitting a lawfully 
admitted resident alien to vote in an election held by a political 
subdivision is approved by the voters.
	SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the 
crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 
emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 
constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 
days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.