79R3849 JRJ-D

By:  Bohac                                                        H.B. No. 1269



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the manner in which a voter may make a change in the 
voter's registration information.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 15.001(a), Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
	(a)  Each voter registration certificate issued must 
contain:                
		(1)  the voter's name in the form indicated by the 
voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section 
13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state;
		(2)  the voter's residence address or, if the residence 
has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a 
concise description of the location of the voter's residence;
		(3)  the month, day, and year of the voter's birth;                           
		(4)  the number of the county election precinct in 
which the voter resides; 
		(5)  the voter's effective date of registration if an 
initial certificate;  
		(6)  the voter's registration number;                                         
		(7)  an indication of the period for which the 
certificate is issued;       
		(8)  a statement explaining the circumstances under 
which the voter will receive a new certificate;
		(9)  a space for stamping the voter's political party 
affiliation;          
		(10)  a statement that voting with the certificate by a 
person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued 
is a felony;
		(11)  a space for the voter's signature;                                      
		(12)  a statement that the voter must sign the 
certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt;
		(13)  [a space for the voter to correct the information 
on the certificate followed by a signature line;
		[(14)]  the statement: "If any information on this 
certificate changes or is incorrect, you must submit a new voter 
registration application with the correct [the] information [in the 
space provided, sign below, and return this certificate] to the 
voter registrar."; and
		(14) [(15)]  the registrar's mailing address and 
telephone number.
	SECTION 2.  Section 15.021(b), Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
	(b)  The voter shall use [the registration certificate or] a 
registration application form as the notice, indicating the correct 
information in the appropriate space on the [certificate or] 
application form unless the voter does not have possession of [the 
certificate or] an application form at the time of giving the 
notice.
	SECTION 3.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.                      
	(b)  The change in law made by this Act does not affect the 
validity of a change or correction made by a voter in the voter's 
registration information by submitting a current voter 
registration certificate indicating the changes or corrections to 
the voter registrar, if the voter registration certificate includes 
a space for the voter to correct the information as provided by 
Section 15.001, Election Code, as that section existed before the 
effective date of this Act, and the former law relating to changing 
or correcting the information in that manner is continued in effect 
for that purpose.