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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the methods of voter registration. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Sections 13.009 and 13.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.009. AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH |
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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR CERTAIN PERSONS. (a) The voter |
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registrar of each county shall automatically register any county |
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resident who is 18 years of age, eligible to vote as provided by |
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Section 13.001, and issued a Texas driver's license or a personal |
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identification card by the Department of Public Safety unless the |
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resident chooses not to be registered. |
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(b) A driver's license or personal identification card |
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transaction with an indication provided by Section 20.063(c) that |
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the transaction is not for voter registration purposes is not |
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subject to this section. |
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Sec. 13.010. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The |
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secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person to |
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complete a voter registration application over the Internet from |
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the official Internet website of this state. The Internet websites |
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of the secretary of state and the Department of Public Safety must |
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also provide a link to the location of the application on the |
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official Internet website of this state. |
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(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration who has |
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an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card |
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issued in this state must: |
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(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on |
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the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true; |
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and |
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(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature |
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on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card |
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for voter registration purposes. |
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(c) An applicant for electronic voter registration who does |
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not have an unexpired driver's license or personal identification |
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card issued in this state must: |
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(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on |
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the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true; |
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and |
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(2) print a registration application from the Internet |
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website the applicant is using to register, sign the application, |
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and mail it to the registrar. |
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(d) For each application submitted under Subsection (b), |
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the program shall require that a digital copy of the applicant's |
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signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety. |
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(e) For each application submitted under Subsection (c), |
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the program shall provide the applicant with: |
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(1) a registration application that the applicant can |
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print from the registration website, sign, and mail to the |
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registrar as required under Subsection (c)(2); and |
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(2) information about how the applicant can obtain a |
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driver's license or personal identification card from the |
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Department of Public Safety. |
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(f) An application submitted under this section is |
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considered for all purposes an application submitted by mail under |
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this title. |
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(g) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules to provide for additional |
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security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of |
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applications submitted electronically. |
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(h) The rules adopted under Subsection (g) must require |
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that: |
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(1) the Internet website through which a person may |
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complete a voter registration application include a description of |
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the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location |
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on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the |
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application; and |
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(2) the state electronic Internet portal project be |
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used to authenticate the identity of a person who submits an |
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application electronically under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 20.061, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 20.061. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other |
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provisions of this chapter apply to the Department of Public Safety |
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except provisions that conflict with this subchapter or Section |
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13.009. |
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SECTION 3. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (e) to read |
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as follows: |
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(a) The Department of Public Safety shall provide to each |
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person who applies in person, by mail, or online at the department's |
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Internet website [at the department's offices] for an original or |
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renewal of a driver's license, a personal identification card, or a |
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duplicate or corrected license or card an opportunity to complete a |
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voter registration application form. |
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(c) A change of address that relates to a license or card and |
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that is submitted to the department in person, [or] by mail, or |
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online at the department's Internet website serves as a change of |
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address for voter registration unless the licensee or cardholder |
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indicates that the change is not for voter registration purposes. |
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The date of submission of a change of address to a department |
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employee is considered to be the date of submission to the voter |
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registrar for the purpose of determining the effective date of |
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registration [only]. |
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(e) The Department of Public Safety shall consider an |
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application made in person, by mail, or online at the department's |
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Internet website for an original or renewal of a driver's license, a |
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personal identification card, or a duplicate or corrected license |
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or card by a person who is 18 years of age and eligible to vote as |
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provided by Section 13.001 an application for voter registration. |
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The date of application is considered to be the date of submission |
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to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective |
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date of registration. The registration of an eligible voter under |
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this subsection is automatic unless the person indicates that the |
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person is choosing not to be registered or that the transaction is |
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not for voter registration purposes. |
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SECTION 4. Section 20.065(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Each weekday the department is regularly open for |
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business, the department shall electronically transfer to the |
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secretary of state the name and information designated by the |
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secretary of state for [of] each person who completes a voter |
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registration application submitted to the department and for each |
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individual who is eligible for registration under Section |
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20.063(e). The secretary shall prescribe procedures necessary to |
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implement this subsection. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |