| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to volunteer deputy registrars; repealing a criminal |
|
|
offense. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 13.031(d), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(d) To be eligible for appointment as a volunteer deputy |
|
|
registrar, a person must: |
|
|
(1) be 18 years of age or older; |
|
|
(2) not have been finally convicted of a felony or, if |
|
|
so convicted, must have: |
|
|
(A) fully discharged the person's sentence, |
|
|
including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or |
|
|
completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or |
|
|
(B) been pardoned or otherwise released from the |
|
|
resulting disability to vote; |
|
|
(3) meet the requirements to be a qualified voter |
|
|
under Section 11.002 except that the person is not required to be a |
|
|
resident of this state or a registered voter; and |
|
|
(4) not have been finally convicted of an offense |
|
|
under Section 32.51, Penal Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Sections 13.036(a) and (b), Election Code, are |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) An appointment as a volunteer deputy registrar is |
|
|
terminated on: |
|
|
(1) the expiration of the volunteer deputy's term of |
|
|
appointment; or |
|
|
(2) the final conviction of the volunteer deputy for |
|
|
an offense prescribed by Section [13.008 or] 13.043. |
|
|
(b) The registrar may terminate the appointment of a |
|
|
volunteer deputy registrar on a determination by the registrar that |
|
|
the volunteer deputy: |
|
|
(1) [failed to adequately review a registration
|
|
|
application as required by Section 13.039;
|
|
|
[(2)] intentionally destroyed or physically altered |
|
|
a registration application; or |
|
|
(2) [(3)] engaged in any other activity that conflicts |
|
|
with the responsibilities of a volunteer deputy registrar under |
|
|
this chapter. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 13.038, Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 13.038. POWERS GENERALLY. A volunteer deputy |
|
|
registrar may: |
|
|
(1) distribute voter registration application forms |
|
|
throughout the state; |
|
|
(2) [county and] receive registration applications |
|
|
submitted to the deputy in person; and |
|
|
(3) photocopy a received or submitted application. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Section 13.042(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) A volunteer deputy registrar shall deliver in person, |
|
|
[or] by personal delivery through another designated volunteer |
|
|
deputy, or by mail to the registrar each completed voter |
|
|
registration application submitted to the deputy, as provided by |
|
|
this section. The secretary of state shall prescribe any |
|
|
procedures necessary to ensure the proper and timely delivery of |
|
|
completed applications that are not delivered in person by the |
|
|
volunteer deputy who receives them. |
|
|
SECTION 5. Section 13.046(f), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(f) Except as provided by this subsection, Sections |
|
|
[13.039,] 13.041[,] and 13.042 apply to the submission and delivery |
|
|
of registration applications under this section, and for that |
|
|
purpose, "volunteer deputy registrar" in those sections includes a |
|
|
high school deputy registrar. A high school deputy registrar may |
|
|
review an application for completeness out of the applicant's |
|
|
presence. A deputy may deliver a group of applications to the |
|
|
registrar by mail in an envelope or package, and, for the purpose of |
|
|
determining compliance with the delivery deadline, an application |
|
|
delivered by mail is considered to be delivered at the time of its |
|
|
receipt by the registrar. |
|
|
SECTION 6. Sections 12.006(f), 13.008, 13.031(e), |
|
|
13.033(d), 13.039, 13.047, and 13.048, Election Code, are repealed. |
|
|
SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a |
|
|
volunteer deputy registrar appointed before, on, or after the |
|
|
effective date of this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |