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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the form and contents of a voter registration |
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certificate. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 15.001(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Each voter registration certificate issued must |
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contain: |
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(1) the voter's name in the form indicated by the |
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voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section |
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13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state; |
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(2) the voter's residence address or, if the residence |
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has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a |
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concise description of the location of the voter's residence; |
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(3) the month, day, and year of the voter's birth; |
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(4) the number of the county election precinct in |
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which the voter resides; |
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(5) the voter's effective date of registration if an |
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initial certificate; |
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(6) the voter's registration number; |
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(7) an indication of the period for which the |
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certificate is issued; |
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(8) a statement explaining the circumstances under |
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which the voter will receive a new certificate; |
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(9) a space for stamping the voter's political party |
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affiliation; |
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(10) a statement that voting with the certificate by a |
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person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued |
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is a felony; |
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(11) a space for the voter's signature; |
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(12) a statement that the voter must sign the |
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certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt; |
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(13) a space for the voter to correct the information |
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on the certificate followed by a signature line; |
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(14) the statement: "If any information on this |
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certificate changes or is incorrect, correct the information in the |
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space provided, sign below, and return this certificate to the |
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voter registrar."; |
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(15) the registrar's mailing address and telephone |
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number; [and] |
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(16) the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for |
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the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as |
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determined by the voter registrar: |
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(A) congressional district; |
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(B) state senatorial district; |
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(C) state representative district; |
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(D) commissioners precinct; |
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(E) justice precinct; |
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(F) city election precinct; and |
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(G) school district election precinct; and |
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(17) the photograph of the voter to whom the |
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certificate is issued. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 31.012 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 31.012. PHOTO IDENTIFICATION ACCESS. (a) The |
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secretary of state shall establish methods to obtain a photograph |
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of each registered voter for use on the voter's voter registration |
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certificate. For purposes of this section, the secretary of state |
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may enter into agreements with the Department of Public Safety or |
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other state agencies and governmental entities for assistance with |
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assigning photographs to the appropriate voter's voter |
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registration certificate. |
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(b) The methods established under Subsection (a) must |
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provide for a registered voter's photograph to be updated at least |
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every six years. |
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SECTION 3. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective |
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date of this Act, the secretary of state shall establish, subject to |
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Subsection (b) of this section, the photo identification access |
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program required by Section 31.012, Election Code, as added by this |
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Act. |
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(b) The photo identification access program required by |
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Section 31.012, Election Code, as added by this Act, must provide |
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for voter registration certificates issued on or after November 1, |
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2009, including renewal certificates, to contain photographs. |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act to the |
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requirements of a voter registration certificate apply only to a |
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voter registration certificate issued on or after November 1, 2009. |
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A voter registration certificate, including a renewal certificate, |
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issued before November 1, 2009, is covered by the law in effect when |
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the certificate was issued, and the former law is continued in |
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effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |