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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to voter registration and voter registration information. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 18.061, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsections (f), (g), and (h) to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) Under procedures prescribed by the secretary of state, |
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each voter registrar shall provide to the secretary of state on an |
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expedited basis the information necessary to maintain the |
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registration list established under Subsection (a). The procedures |
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shall provide for the electronic submission of the information and |
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ensure that each voter registrar collects and reports the correct |
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month, day, and year of birth for each registered voter. |
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(f) The secretary of state may contract with an entity that |
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utilizes secure data to verify change of address information for |
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the purpose of managing the statewide computerized voter |
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registration list. |
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(g) The secretary of state may make verified clerical |
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changes to the statewide computerized voter registration list based |
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on information received under this subchapter in a manner that |
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produces the least possible impact on the voters in this state and |
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fulfills the secretary of state's responsibility to manage the |
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voter rolls. The secretary of state shall send notice of any |
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clerical changes to the voter registrar of the counties considered |
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appropriate by the secretary. |
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(h) The secretary of state may adopt rules and prescribe |
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procedures for the implementation of this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 18.062, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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(c) For the voter registration purposes of participating in |
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a system developed under this section, the secretary of state may |
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disclose voter information, including a voter's date of birth and |
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the last four digits of a voter's social security number. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 18, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 18.0681 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 18.0681. SECRETARY OF STATE AUTHORITY TO ELIMINATE |
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DUPLICATE REGISTRATION RECORDS. (a) The secretary of state shall |
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periodically compare the information regarding voters maintained |
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as part of the statewide computerized voter registration list to |
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determine whether any voters have more than one voter registration |
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record on file. If the secretary determines that a voter on the |
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registration list has more than one registration record on file, |
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the secretary may merge the registration records and shall send |
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notice of the determination to the voter registrar of each county in |
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which the voter is registered to vote. |
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(b) The secretary of state shall by rule determine what |
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information identifies a voter with more than one registration |
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record in order to produce the least possible impact on voters in |
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this state and fulfill the secretary of state's responsibility to |
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manage the voter rolls. The rules must require that, at a minimum, |
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the first name, the last name, any available middle name, and the |
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date of birth of a voter in each record be identical. |
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(c) The secretary of state shall adopt rules and prescribe |
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procedures for the implementation of this section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 62.0132(g), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(g) The information contained in a completed questionnaire |
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may be disclosed to: |
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(1) a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which |
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the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential juror; |
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(2) court personnel; [and] |
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(3) a litigant and a litigant's attorney in a cause of |
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action in which the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential |
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juror; and |
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(4) the secretary of state in connection with any |
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matter of voter registration or the administration of elections. |
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SECTION 5. Section 521.142(a), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) An application for an original license must state the |
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applicant's full name and place and date of birth. This information |
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must be verified by presentation of proof of identity satisfactory |
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to the department. An applicant who is not a citizen of the United |
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States must present to the department documentation issued by the |
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appropriate United States agency that authorizes the applicant to |
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be in the United States before the applicant may be issued a |
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driver's license. The department must accept as satisfactory proof |
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of identity under this subsection an offender identification card |
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or similar form of identification issued to an inmate by the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice if the applicant also provides |
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supplemental verifiable records or documents that aid in |
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establishing identity. For the purposes of this subsection, a |
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voter registration certificate is not satisfactory proof of |
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authorization to be in the United States. |
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SECTION 6. 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, 2017. |