By: Miller of Fort Bend (Senate Sponsor - Huffman) H.B. No. 2263

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2013; April 30, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 7, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 7, 2013, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requesting a replacement voter registration certificate by telephone or electronically.

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

SECTION 1. Section 15.004, Election Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 15.004. REPLACEMENT CERTIFICATE. (a) A voter whose registration certificate is lost or destroyed may obtain a replacement certificate by:

(1) delivering a written or electronic[, signed] notice of the loss or destruction to the registrar; or

(2) telephoning the registrar to request a replacement.

(b) A replacement certificate requested electronically under Subsection (a)(1) or by telephone under Subsection (a)(2) may be sent only to the mailing address on the voter's registration records.

(c) Subject to Subsection (b), not [Not] later than the 30th day after the date the registrar receives the notice or request, the registrar shall deliver to the voter a replacement certificate containing:

(1) the registration number and other information on the lost or destroyed certificate; and

(2) a notation that the certificate is a replacement.

(d) [(c)] The registrar shall retain a written or electronic [the] notice submitted under Subsection (a)(1) on file with the voter's registration application. If the voter requests a replacement registration certificate by telephone under Subsection (a)(2), the registrar shall make a written record of the request and keep the record on file with the voter's registration application.

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, 2013.

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