BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 2197
87R8005 SLB-D	By: Hull; Paul (Zaffirini)
	State Affairs
	5/20/2021
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Texans who change residences within the county where they are registered to vote must complete a statement of residence form before voting. Voters must complete a form designed by the secretary of state to verify their new address. The form contains a specific field for any former county of residence. There is no clear field, however, for the current county of residence. Statements of residence for elections held in municipalities with jurisdictions that span multiple counties can create confusion for election workers.

H.B. 2197 would streamline the process for determining voter eligibility and ease the burden on election workers by requiring a specific field for current county of residence.

H.B. 2197 amends current law relating to the statement of residence required to vote.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 63.0011, Election Code, by adding Subsection (c-1), as follows:

(c-1) Requires that the statement described by Subsection (c) (relating to requiring a voter, before being accepted for voting, to execute and submit to an election officer a statement that includes certain information regarding the voter's residence) include a field for the voter to enter the voter's current county of residence.

SECTION 2. Requires the secretary of state, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt a statement of residence form as required by Section 63.0011 (Statement of Residence Required), Election Code, as amended by this Act.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2021.