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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to voter registration applications. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 13.073, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) or (b-1), the |
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registrar shall deliver written notice of the reason for the |
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rejection of an application to the applicant not later than the |
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second day after the date of rejection. |
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(b-1) Before rejecting an application on which an applicant |
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provided a telephone number or e-mail address, the registrar may |
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notify an applicant by telephone or e-mail that the registrar needs |
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additional information to approve the application, including |
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correcting an applicant's date of birth, correcting the spelling of |
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the applicant's name, or providing additional information to |
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correct an address or county of residence. The registrar shall make |
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a reasonable effort to contact the applicant by telephone or |
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e-mail. The registrar may send the applicant by mail or e-mail a |
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blank voter registration application that includes the address to |
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return the application to the registrar. |
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SECTION 2. Section 13.122(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) In addition to the other statements and spaces for |
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entering information that appear on an officially prescribed |
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registration application form, each official form must include: |
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(1) the statement: "I understand that giving false |
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information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime |
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under state and federal law."; |
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(2) a space for the applicant's registration number; |
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(3) a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license |
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number or number of a personal identification card issued by the |
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Department of Public Safety; |
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(4) a space for the applicant's telephone number; |
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(5) a space for the applicant's social security |
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number; |
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(6) a space for the applicant's sex; |
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(7) a statement indicating that the furnishing of the |
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applicant's telephone number, e-mail address, and sex is optional; |
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(8) a space or box for indicating whether the |
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applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a |
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change in current registration information; |
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(9) a statement instructing a voter who is using the |
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form to make a change in current registration information to enter |
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the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate |
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spaces on the form; |
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(10) a statement that if the applicant declines to |
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register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be |
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used only for voter registration purposes; |
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(11) a statement that if the applicant does register |
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to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the |
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application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used |
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only for voter registration purposes; |
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(12) a space or box for indicating whether the |
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applicant is interested in working as an election judge; |
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(13) a statement warning that a conviction for making |
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a false statement may result in imprisonment for up to the maximum |
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amount of time provided by law, a fine of up to the maximum amount |
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provided by law, or both the imprisonment and the fine; [and] |
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(14) a space for the applicant's e-mail address; and |
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(15) any other voter registration information |
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required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by |
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the secretary of state. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |