By: Dunnam H.B. No. 4421

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the form of, and information contained on, a voter registration certificate.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 15.001 and 15.002, Election Code, are amended to read as follows:

Sec. 15.001. REQUIRED CONTENTS. (a) Each voter registration certificate issued must be identical in form as a driver's license, including identical materials, and 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, correct the information in the space provided, sign below, and return this certificate to the voter registrar.";

(15) the registrar's mailing address and telephone number; [and]

(16) the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as determined by the voter registrar:

(A) congressional district;

(B) state senatorial district;

(C) state representative district;

(D) commissioners precinct;

(E) justice precinct;

(F) city election precinct; and

(G) school district election precinct;

(17) the voter's sex;

(18) a representation of the Texas flag; and

(18) on the reverse, a strip for electronically-readable information.

(b) A certificate may not contain:

(1) the voter's telephone number;

(2) the voter's social security number; or

(3) except as provided by Section 15.002, any other information not specified by Subsection (a).

(c) The certificate issued under this section is the only form of identification a voter must present to an election official in order to exercise the person's fundamental right to vote. If the provisions of another law conflict with the provisions of this section, this section controls to the extent of the conflict.

Sec. 15.002. OPTIONAL CONTENTS. (a) A voter registration certificate may be accompanied by a separate sheet contain an explanation of the voter's rights or duties under this code, including:

(1) the procedure by which the voter will receive a renewal certificate;

(2) the necessity of notifying the registrar if the voter changes residence;

(3) the necessity of applying for a new registration if the voter changes residence to another county;

(4) the period during which the voter may vote a limited ballot after changing residence to another county;

(5) the procedure for voting without a certificate; and

(6) the procedure for obtaining a replacement for a lost or destroyed certificate.

[(b) An explanation authorized by Subsection (a) may appear on a separate sheet accompanying the certificate when it is delivered.]

(c) In addition to the territorial units required to be listed on a voter registration certificate under Section 15.001(a)(16), a certificate may contain up to seven jurisdictional or distinguishing numbers for any other territorial units in which the voter resides.

[(d) A voter registration certificate may contain the voter's sex.]

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2009.