87R1851 TSS-F
 
  By: González of Dallas H.B. No. 483
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to voter registration.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 13.004(a) and (d), Election Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  The registrar may not transcribe, copy, or otherwise
  record a telephone number or e-mail address furnished on a
  registration application.
         (d)  The voter registrar or other county official who has
  access to the information furnished on a registration application
  may not post the following information on a website:
               (1)  a telephone number or e-mail address;
               (2)  a social security number;
               (3)  a driver's license number or a number of a personal
  identification card;
               (4)  a date of birth; or
               (5)  the residence address of a voter who submits
  documentation under Subsection (c)(6), (7), (8), or (9) [(c)(5),
  (6), (7), or (8)] to the voter registrar or regarding whom the
  registrar has received notification under Section 15.0215.
  SECTION 2.  Section 13.004(c), Election Code, as amended by
  Chapters 469 (H.B. 4173), 489 (H.B. 3100), and 1146 (H.B. 2910),
  Acts of the 86th Legislature, Regular Session, 2019, is reenacted
  and amended to read as follows:
         (c)  The following information furnished on a registration
  application is confidential and does not constitute public
  information for purposes of Chapter 552, Government Code:
               (1)  a social security number;
               (2)  a Texas driver's license number;
               (3)  a number of a personal identification card issued
  by the Department of Public Safety;
               (4)  an indication that an applicant is interested in
  working as an election judge;
               (5)  a telephone number or e-mail address;
               (6)  the residence address of the applicant, if the
  applicant is a federal judge or state judge, the spouse of a federal
  judge or state judge, the spouse of a peace officer as defined by
  Article 2.12, Code of Criminal Procedure, or an individual to whom
  Section 552.1175, Government Code, or Section 521.1211,
  Transportation Code, applies and the applicant:
                     (A)  included an affidavit with the registration
  application describing the applicant's status under this
  subdivision, if the applicant is a federal judge or state judge or
  the spouse of a federal judge or state judge;
                     (B)  provided the registrar with an affidavit
  describing the applicant's status under this subdivision, if the
  applicant is a federal judge or state judge or the spouse of a
  federal judge or state judge; or
                     (C)  provided the registrar with a completed form
  approved by the secretary of state for the purpose of notifying the
  registrar of the applicant's status under this subdivision;
               (7) [(6)]  the residence address of the applicant, if
  the applicant, the applicant's child, or another person in the
  applicant's household is a victim of family violence as defined by
  Section 71.004, Family Code, who provided the registrar with:
                     (A)  a copy of a protective order issued under
  Chapter 85, Family Code, or a magistrate's order for emergency
  protection issued under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure;
  or
                     (B)  other independent documentary evidence
  necessary to show that the applicant, the applicant's child, or
  another person in the applicant's household is a victim of family
  violence;
               (8) [(7)]  the residence address of the applicant, if
  the applicant, the applicant's child, or another person in the
  applicant's household is a victim of sexual assault or abuse,
  stalking, or trafficking of persons who provided the registrar
  with:
                     (A)  a copy of a protective order issued under
  Subchapter A or B, Chapter 7B, Code of Criminal Procedure, or a
  magistrate's order for emergency protection issued under Article
  17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure; or
                     (B)  other independent documentary evidence
  necessary to show that the applicant, the applicant's child, or
  another person in the applicant's household is a victim of sexual
  assault or abuse, stalking, or trafficking of persons;
               (9) [(8)]  the residence address of the applicant, if
  the applicant:
                     (A)  is a participant in the address
  confidentiality program administered by the attorney general under
  Subchapter B, Chapter 58, Code of Criminal Procedure; and
                     (B)  provided the registrar with proof of
  certification under Article 58.059, Code of Criminal Procedure; or
               (10) [(9)]  the telephone number of any applicant
  submitting documentation under Subdivision (6), (7), (8), or (9) 
  [(5), (6), (7), or (8)].
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 84, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 84.0022 to read as follows:
         Sec. 84.0022.  CONFIDENTIALITY AND USE OF CERTAIN
  INFORMATION. Information included on an application for a ballot
  to be voted by mail is subject to Section 13.004 in the same manner
  as that section applies to an application to register to vote.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter A, Chapter 84, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 84.0075 to read as follows:
         Sec. 84.0075.  SUBMITTING APPLICATION FOR BALLOT VOTED BY
  MAIL TO VOTER REGISTRAR. (a)  Notwithstanding the other provisions
  of this subchapter, an applicant for a ballot to be voted by mail
  who is not registered to vote may submit an application for a ballot
  to be voted by mail and an application for voter registration to the
  voter registrar.
         (b)  If the registrar approves the application for voter
  registration under Title 2, the registrar shall forward the
  application for a ballot to be voted by mail to the early voting
  clerk.
         (c)  For the purposes of this section, a deputy registrar
  must deliver an application for a ballot to be voted by mail to the
  registrar in the same manner as an application for voter
  registration.
         SECTION 5.  Section 84.011(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The officially prescribed application form for an early
  voting ballot may combine the contents required under Section
  84.002 for an early voting ballot application with an officially
  prescribed voter registration application form and must include:
               (1)  immediately preceding the signature space the
  statement:  "I certify that the information given in this
  application is true, and I understand that giving false information
  in this application is a crime.";
               (2)  a statement informing the applicant of the
  offenses prescribed by Sections 84.003 and 84.004;
               (3)  spaces for entering an applicant's information to
  register to vote or voter registration number and county election
  precinct of registration, as applicable, with a statement informing
  the applicant that failure to furnish that information does not
  invalidate the application; and
               (4)  on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail:
                     (A)  a space for an applicant applying on the
  ground of absence from the county of residence to indicate the date
  on or after which the applicant can receive mail at the address
  outside the county;
                     (B)  a space for indicating the fact that an
  applicant whose application is signed by a witness cannot make the
  applicant's mark and a space for indicating the relationship or
  lack of relationship of the witness to the applicant;
                     (C)  a space for entering an applicant's telephone
  number and e-mail address, with a statement informing the applicant
  that failure to furnish that information does not invalidate the
  application;
                     (D)  a space or box for an applicant applying on
  the ground of age or disability to indicate that the address to
  which the ballot is to be mailed is the address of a facility or
  relative described by Section 84.002(a)(3), if applicable;
                     (E)  a space or box for an applicant applying on
  the ground of confinement in jail to indicate that the address to
  which the ballot is to be mailed is the address of a relative
  described by Section 84.002(a)(4), if applicable;
                     (F)  a space for an applicant applying on the
  ground of age or disability to indicate if the application is an
  application under Section 86.0015;
                     (G)  spaces for entering the signature, printed
  name, and residence address of any person assisting the applicant;
                     (H)  a statement informing the applicant of the
  condition prescribed by Section 81.005; and
                     (I)  a statement informing the applicant of the
  requirement prescribed by Section 86.003(c).
         SECTION 6.  Section 84.014, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 84.014.  ACTION BY EARLY VOTING CLERK ON CERTAIN
  APPLICATIONS.  (a) If an applicant provides a date of birth,
  driver's license number, [or] social security number, or other
  information required for registration under Title 2 on the
  applicant's application for an early voting ballot to be voted by
  mail that is different from or in addition to the information
  maintained by the voter registrar in accordance with that title
  [Title 2], the early voting clerk shall notify the voter
  registrar.  The voter registrar shall update the voter's record
  with the information provided by the applicant.
         (b)  The submission of an application for an early voting
  ballot to be voted by mail by an unregistered applicant that
  complies with the applicable requirements and contains the
  information required for registration under Title 2 constitutes
  registration by the applicant.
         SECTION 7.  Section 86.001(e), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (e)  If the applicant does not have an effective voter
  registration for the election, the clerk shall reject the
  application unless:
               (1)  the clerk can determine from the voter registrar
  that the applicant has submitted a voter registration application
  and the registration will be effective on election day; or
               (2)  the application contains the information that is
  required for registration under Title 2 and the registration will
  be effective on election day.
         SECTION 8.  The changes in law made by this Act apply to an
  application for a ballot to be voted by mail submitted for an
  election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. An
  application for a ballot to be voted by mail submitted for an
  election ordered before the effective date of this Act is governed
  by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and the former
  law is continued in effect for that purpose.
         SECTION 9.  To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails
  over another Act of the 87th Legislature, Regular Session, 2021,
  relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted
  codes.
         SECTION 10.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.