87S10285 SMT-F
 
  By: Reynolds H.B. No. 40
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to electronic voter registration.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 13.009.  ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The
  secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person with
  an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card
  issued in this state to complete a voter registration application
  over the Internet from a secure Internet website.
         (b)  The Internet website established under this section
  must allow a person to submit:
               (1)  an initial application for registration; and 
               (2)  an application to update a voter registration
  record. 
         (c)  When a person submits an application under this section,
  the secretary of state shall compare the information provided by
  the applicant against the Department of Public Safety records.
         (d)  The completed online application and information from
  the Department of Public Safety, including the applicant's digital
  signature, shall be provided to:
               (1)  the county voter registration office for the
  county where the applicant currently resides; and
               (2)  the secretary of state for the statewide
  computerized voter registration list under Section 18.061.
         (e)  An application electronically submitted under this
  section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted
  by mail under this title.  A digital signature given as provided by
  secretary of state rule meets the signature requirement under
  Section 13.002(b). 
         (f)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.