87S20233 SMT-D
 
  By: Israel H.B. No. 98
 
 
 
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 to
  complete a voter registration application over the Internet from
  the official website of this state. The Internet websites of the
  secretary of state and the Department of Public Safety must also
  provide a link to the location of the application on the official
  website of this state.
         (b)  An applicant for electronic voter registration who has
  an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card
  issued in this state must:
               (1)  attest to the truth of the information provided on
  the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
  and
               (2)  affirmatively consent to the use of the signature
  on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card
  for voter registration purposes.
         (c)  An applicant for electronic voter registration who does
  not have an unexpired driver's license or personal identification
  card issued in this state must:
               (1)  attest to the truth of the information provided on
  the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
  and
               (2)  print a registration application from the website
  the applicant is using to register, sign the application, and mail
  it to the registrar.
         (d)  For each application submitted under Subsection (b),
  the program shall require that a digital copy of the applicant's
  signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.
         (e)  For each application submitted under Subsection (c),
  the program shall provide the applicant with:
               (1)  a registration application that the applicant can
  print from the registration website, sign, and mail to the
  registrar as required under Subsection (c)(2); and
               (2)  information about how the applicant can obtain a
  driver's license or personal identification card from the
  Department of Public Safety.
         (f)  An application submitted under this section is
  considered for all purposes an application submitted by mail under
  this title.
         (g)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section, including rules to provide for additional
  security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of
  applications submitted electronically.
         (h)  The rules adopted under Subsection (g) must require
  that:
               (1)  the Internet website through which a person may
  complete a voter registration application include a description of
  the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location
  on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the
  application; and
               (2)  the state electronic Internet portal project be
  used to authenticate the identity of a person who submits an
  application electronically under this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
  last day of the legislative session.