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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to electronic voter registration. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The |
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secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person who |
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has a valid driver's license or personal identification card issued |
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in this state to complete a voter registration application over the |
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Internet from an official website of this state. The secretary of |
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state may develop an Internet website for this purpose. |
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(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration must: |
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(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on |
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the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true; |
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(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature |
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on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card |
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for voter registration purposes; |
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(3) provide the information required under Section |
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13.002(c); and |
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(4) provide the audit number and date of issuance of |
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the applicant's Texas driver's license or personal identification |
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card issued by the Department of Public Safety. |
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(c) When a person submits an application under this section, |
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the secretary of state shall compare the information provided by |
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the applicant against Department of Public Safety records. If any |
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information submitted by an applicant does not match Department of |
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Public Safety records, the secretary shall reject the application. |
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(d) When a person submits an application under this section, |
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the Internet Protocol address of the device used to submit the |
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application shall be recorded and included with the applicant's |
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application file under Section 13.101 or 13.102, as appropriate. |
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(e) The completed online application and information from |
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the Department of Public Safety, including all copies of the |
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applicant's digital signature on record, shall be provided to: |
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(1) the voter registrar for the county where the |
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applicant currently resides; and |
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(2) the secretary of state for the statewide |
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computerized voter registration list under Section 18.061. |
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(f) An application submitted electronically under this |
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section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted |
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by mail under this title. |
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(g) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect December 1, 2022. |