87S10124 MLH-D
 
  By: Menéndez, et al. S.B. No. 39
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the voter registration of naturalized United States
  citizens.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 13.002(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Section 13.009, a [A] person
  desiring to register to vote must submit an application to the
  registrar of the county in which the person resides. Except as
  provided by Subsection (e), an application must be submitted by
  personal delivery, by mail, or by telephonic facsimile machine in
  accordance with Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2).
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 13.009.  VOTER REGISTRATION OF NATURALIZED CITIZEN.
  (a) The voter registrar of each county shall automatically
  register a resident of the county who is eligible to vote as
  provided by Section 13.001 on issuance of a certificate of
  naturalization by the United States Citizenship and Immigration
  Services.
         (b)  For the purposes of Subsection (a), the Department of
  Public Safety may, in cooperation with the United States
  Citizenship and Immigration Services, establish a procedure by
  which the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
  notifies the department when a person lawfully present in this
  state is issued a certificate of naturalization.
         (c)  A procedure established under Subsection (b) must
  require the Department of Public Safety to provide the information
  received from the United States Citizenship and Immigration
  Services to the appropriate county registrar.
         (d)  If the United States Citizenship and Immigration
  Services fails to notify the Department of Public Safety that a
  person lawfully present in this state has been issued a certificate
  of naturalization, the newly naturalized citizen may present the
  certificate of naturalization to the appropriate county registrar
  in satisfaction of Sections 13.002(c)(3) and (8). The registrar
  shall assist the person in registering to vote.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.