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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the appointment and training of volunteer deputy |
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registrars; creating an offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Section 13.047, Election Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.047. TRAINING STANDARDS FOR DEPUTY REGISTRARS; |
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TRAINING USING MATERIALS POSTED ON SECRETARY OF STATE WEBSITE. |
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SECTION 2. Section 13.047, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), and (i) to read as |
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follows: |
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(c) The secretary of state shall provide on the agency's |
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website the training materials and, if applicable, the examination |
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that a potential volunteer deputy registrar may access at any time. |
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(d) The materials posted online and described by Subsection |
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(c) must allow an applicant to download and print a document to be |
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used as a certificate of completion of training. The document must: |
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(1) provide for the applicant to include the |
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applicant's name, county, and residence address and any other |
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information the secretary of state considers necessary; |
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(2) include the examination questions, if required by |
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the secretary of state; and |
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(3) contain a form on which the applicant may execute |
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an affidavit affirming that the applicant has read the training |
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materials in their entirety. |
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(e) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly |
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makes a false statement or requests, commands, or attempts to |
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induce another person to make a false statement on an affidavit |
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completed as part of a certificate of completion. An offense under |
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this subsection is a Class B misdemeanor. |
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(f) An applicant who completes the training materials and a |
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certificate of completion shall present the certificate to the |
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registrar at the time the applicant requests appointment as a |
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volunteer deputy registrar. Upon appointment, the applicant is not |
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required to take further training and may immediately receive |
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another person's voter registration application. |
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(g) The registrar must accept a certificate of completion |
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presented by an applicant and appoint the person as a volunteer |
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deputy registrar if the applicant: |
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(1) is eligible to be appointed as a volunteer deputy |
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registrar under this subchapter; |
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(2) has executed the affidavit with an original |
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signature; and |
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(3) has passed the examination, if applicable. |
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(h) At the time a volunteer deputy registrar who received |
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training is appointed, the registrar shall advise the volunteer: |
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(1) of county-specific procedures for processing |
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voter registration applications, if applicable; and |
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(2) that the only requirements for voter registration |
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are those prescribed by state law or by the secretary of state. |
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(i) A volunteer deputy registrar requesting appointment in |
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an additional county may present the person's valid certificate of |
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appointment as proof of training. The volunteer is eligible to |
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receive another person's voter registration application |
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immediately on receiving a certificate of appointment from the |
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registrar of the additional county. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |