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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the registration of certain voters at a polling place |
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and related procedures. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 12.007 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.007. CERTAIN ELECTION OFFICERS ARE VOTER |
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REGISTRARS. An election officer serving a polling place for early |
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voting by personal appearance is a deputy voter registrar and has |
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the same authority as a regular deputy registrar. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 62, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 62.0015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 62.0015. CERTAIN ELECTION OFFICERS ARE VOTER |
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REGISTRARS. An election officer serving a polling place on |
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election day is a deputy voter registrar and has the same authority |
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as a regular deputy registrar. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 63.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 63.010. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE OF DISABLED |
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PERSONS AND SENIOR CITIZENS; VOTING PROCEDURES. (a) For purposes |
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of this section: |
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(1) "Disability" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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681.001, Transportation Code. |
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(2) "Senior citizen" means a person 65 years of age or |
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older. |
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(b) Other applicable provisions of this code apply to the |
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conduct of voting and to the registration of voters under this |
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section to the extent those provisions do not conflict with this |
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section. |
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(c) A person who would be eligible to vote in an election |
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under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered |
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voter, shall be accepted for voting in the precinct of the person's |
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residence as shown by the identification presented if the person |
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has a disability or is a senior citizen and, on the day the person |
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offers to vote, the person: |
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(1) submits a voter registration application that |
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complies with Section 13.002 to an election officer at the polling |
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place; and |
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(2) presents as proof of residence: |
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(A) a Texas driver's license, including a |
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temporary license or instruction permit, or personal |
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identification card issued to the person by the Department of |
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Public Safety that states the person's current address on the day |
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the person seeks to vote; or |
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(B) a utility bill addressed to the person dated |
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not earlier than the 30th day before the date the person seeks to |
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vote, and: |
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(i) a Texas driver's license, including a |
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temporary license or instruction permit, or personal |
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identification card issued to the person by the Department of |
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Public Safety, regardless of whether the address stated on the |
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license or card is current on the day the person seeks to vote; or |
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(ii) a United States passport issued to the |
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person. |
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(d) The election officer shall use a document submitted |
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under Subsection (c)(2)(A), (c)(2)(B)(i), or (c)(2)(B)(ii) to |
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confirm the date of birth of a senior citizen registering to vote |
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under this section. |
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(e) The election officer shall make a copy of the documents |
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submitted under Subsection (c)(2) and attach the copies to the |
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registration application. The election officer shall return the |
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original documents to the voter. |
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(f) A person voting under this section shall vote a |
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provisional ballot in the manner provided by Section 63.011, except |
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that the person is not required to submit the affidavit under |
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Section 63.011(a). |
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(g) For each registration corresponding to a ballot cast |
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under this section, the voter registrar shall review the |
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application and copies of the submitted documents and determine in |
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the manner provided by Subchapter C, Chapter 13, whether the |
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applicant complies with Subsection (c) and is eligible for |
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registration. The registrar shall inform the early voting ballot |
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board of a determination made under this subsection. A |
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registration approved under this subsection takes effect on the |
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date the vote was cast. |
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(h) The secretary of state may by rule: |
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(1) designate additional documents that a person may |
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offer to prove the person's residence or eligibility to register |
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and vote under this section; and |
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(2) prescribe procedures to implement this section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 65.054, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(b-1) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), a provisional ballot |
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cast under Section 63.010 or 85.0312 shall be accepted if the voter |
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registrar determines the applicant is eligible for registration |
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under Section 63.010(g) or 85.0312(f), as applicable. |
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SECTION 5. Subchapter B, Chapter 85, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 85.0312 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 85.0312. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE DURING EARLY |
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VOTING OF DISABLED PERSONS AND SENIOR CITIZENS. (a) For purposes |
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of this section: |
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(1) "Disability" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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681.001, Transportation Code. |
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|
(2) "Senior citizen" means a person 65 years of age or |
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older. |
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(b) A person who would be eligible to vote in an election |
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under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered |
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voter, shall be accepted during early voting by personal appearance |
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for voting the ballot for the precinct of the person's residence as |
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shown by the identification presented if the person has a |
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disability or is a senior citizen and, on the day the person offers |
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to vote, the person: |
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(1) submits a voter registration application that |
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complies with Section 13.002 to an election officer at the polling |
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|
place; and |
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|
(2) presents as proof of residence: |
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|
(A) a Texas driver's license, including a |
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|
temporary license or instruction permit, or personal |
|
|
identification card issued to the person by the Department of |
|
|
Public Safety that states the person's current address on the day |
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|
the person seeks to vote; or |
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(B) a utility bill addressed to the person dated |
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not earlier than the 30th day before the date the person seeks to |
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vote, and: |
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(i) a Texas driver's license, including a |
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|
temporary license or instruction permit, or personal |
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|
identification card issued to the person by the Department of |
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|
Public Safety, regardless of whether the address stated on the |
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license or card is current on the day the person seeks to vote; or |
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(ii) a United States passport issued to the |
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person. |
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(c) The election officer shall use a document submitted |
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under Subsection (b)(2)(A), (b)(2)(B)(i), or (b)(2)(B)(ii) to |
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confirm the date of birth of a senior citizen registering to vote |
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under this section. |
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(d) The election officer shall make a copy of the documents |
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submitted under Subsection (b)(2) and attach the copies to the |
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registration application. The election officer shall return the |
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original documents to the voter. |
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(e) A person voting under this section shall vote a |
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provisional ballot in the manner provided by Section 63.011, except |
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that the person is not required to submit the affidavit under |
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Section 63.011(a). |
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(f) For each registration corresponding to a ballot cast |
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under this section, the voter registrar shall review the |
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application and copies of the submitted documents and determine in |
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the manner provided by Subchapter C, Chapter 13, whether the |
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applicant complies with Subsection (b) and is eligible for |
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registration. The registrar shall inform the early voting ballot |
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board of a determination made under this subsection. A |
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registration approved under this subsection takes effect on the |
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date the vote was cast. |
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(g) The secretary of state may by rule: |
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(1) designate additional documents that a person may |
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offer to prove the person's residence or eligibility to register |
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and vote under this section; and |
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(2) prescribe procedures to implement this section. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |