BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 932
80R1567 ATP-F By: Jackson, Mike
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under current law, the Texas Voter Registration System, as governed by the Texas secretary of state, allows for only five optional spaces on the current voter registration certificate. However, in order to expedite the voting process and readily inform voters of their respective voting districts, mandatory spaces for jurisdictional districts or distinguishing numbers for any territorial unit in which the voter resides need to be included. These include, a congressional district, a state senatorial district, a state representative district, a commissioners precinct, a justice precinct, a city election precinct, or a school district election precinct. In many counties, voters are able to vote in more than five jurisdictional districts, but only five spaces are currently available on voter registration certificates for the 227 counties using the Texas Election Administration Management system.
As proposed, S.B. 932 requires all jurisdictional districts or distinguishing numbers for territorial units to be included on a voter registration certificate.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 15.001(a), Election Code, to require each voter registration certificate issued to contain a jurisdictional or distinguishing number for any territorial unit in which the voter resides, as determined by the voter registrar, including a congressional district, state senatorial district, state representative district, commissioners precinct, justice precinct, city election precinct, or school district election precinct.
SECTION 2. Repealer: Section 15.002(c) (authorizing a voter registration certificate to contain a jurisdictional or distinguishing number for any territorial unit in which the voter resides), Election Code.
SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective to January 1, 2008.
SECTION 4. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2007.