82R8779 DRH-D

By: Hochberg H.B. No. 2814

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to electronic voter registration.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 13.008 to read as follows:

Sec. 13.008. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person who has a valid driver's license or personal identification card issued in this state to complete a voter registration application over the Internet from the official website of this state and the websites of the secretary of state, the Department of Public Safety, and counties participating in the program.

(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration must:

(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true; and

(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card for voter registration purposes.

(c) For each application submitted, the program shall require that a digital copy of the applicant's signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.

(d) An application submitted under this section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted by mail under this title.

(e) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this section, including rules to provide for additional security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of applications submitted electronically.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT NO. 1

Amend H.B. 2814 (introduced version) as follows:

In SECTION 1 of the bill, in added Section 13.008(a), Election Code (page 1, line 10) between "and" and "the website", insert ", either directly or via links to". Veasey