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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to procedures and forms for combining health and human |
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services benefits applications with voter registration |
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applications. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 20, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter F to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER F. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION AND HEALTH AND |
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HUMAN SERVICES AGENCIES |
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Sec. 20.151. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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(1) "Commission" means the Health and Human Services |
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Commission. |
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(2) "Executive commissioner" means the executive |
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commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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(3) "Health and human services agencies" has the |
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meaning assigned by Section 531.001, Government Code. |
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Sec. 20.152. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other |
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provisions of this chapter apply to the commission and health and |
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human services agencies except provisions that conflict with this |
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subchapter. |
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Sec. 20.153. FORMS AND PROCEDURES. (a) The executive |
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commissioner shall prescribe and require use by the commission and |
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health and human services agencies of forms and procedures that |
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combine each application form for a benefits program administered |
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by the commission or a health and human services agency with an |
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officially prescribed voter registration application form. |
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(b) The executive commissioner shall prescribe and require |
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use by the commission and health and human services agencies of a |
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change of address form and procedure that combines commission or |
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health and human services agency functions and voter registration |
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functions. The form must allow a recipient of benefits to indicate |
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whether the change of address is also to be used for voter |
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registration purposes. |
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(c) The design, content, and physical characteristics of |
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the forms required by this section must be approved by the secretary |
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of state. |
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(d) Forms required under this section must include the |
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following statement in a prominent location: "If you are not a |
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citizen of the United States, it is illegal for you to register to |
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vote." |
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Sec. 20.154. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) If a person |
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completes a voter registration application provided under Section |
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20.153, the commission or health and human services agency, as |
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appropriate, shall: |
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(1) input the information provided on the application |
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into the commission's or agency's electronic data system; and |
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(2) inform the applicant that the applicant's |
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electronic signature provided to the commission or agency will be |
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used for submitting the applicant's voter registration |
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application. |
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(b) Not later than the fifth day after the date an applicant |
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completes a voter registration application and provides an |
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electronic signature to the commission or health and human services |
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agency, the commission or agency, as applicable, shall |
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electronically transfer the applicant's voter registration data, |
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including the applicant's signature, to the secretary of state. |
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(c) The secretary of state shall prescribe additional |
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procedures as necessary to implement this section. |
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Sec. 20.155. DECLINATION FORM NOT REQUIRED. The commission |
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and the health and human services agencies are not required to |
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comply with the procedures prescribed by this chapter relating to |
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the form for a declination of voter registration. |
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SECTION 2. The executive commissioner of the Health and |
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Human Services Commission shall prescribe the forms and procedures |
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necessary to implement Subchapter F, Chapter 20, Election Code, as |
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added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2011. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |