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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the signature required on an application for voter |
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registration or for a ballot to be voted by mail. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 13.002(a) and (b), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) A person desiring to register to vote must submit an |
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application to the registrar of the county in which the person |
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resides. Except as provided by Subsection (e), an application must |
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be submitted by personal delivery or [,] by mail[, or by telephonic |
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facsimile machine in accordance with Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2)]. |
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(b) Except for a registration application submitted to the |
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Department of Public Safety in accordance with other law, a [A] |
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registration application must be in writing and signed by the |
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applicant using ink on paper, and an electronic signature or |
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photocopied signature is not permitted. |
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SECTION 2. Section 13.143(d), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) For purposes of determining the effective date of a |
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registration, an application submitted by[: |
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[(1)] mail is considered to be submitted to the |
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registrar on the date it is placed with postage prepaid and properly |
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addressed in the United States mail[; or |
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[(2) telephonic facsimile machine is considered to be |
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submitted to the registrar on the date the transmission is received |
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by the registrar, subject to Subsection (d-2)]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 84.001(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) An application must be in writing and signed by the |
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applicant using ink on paper. An electronic signature or |
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photocopied signature is not permitted. |
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SECTION 4. Section 13.143(d-2), Election Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies to an |
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application for voter registration or for a ballot to be voted by |
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mail submitted on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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application for voter registration or for a ballot to be voted by |
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mail submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
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the law in effect when the application was submitted, and the former |
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law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |