87R9070 TSS-D
 
  By: Shaheen H.B. No. 3066
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the verification of citizenship of an applicant for
  voter registration.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 13.002(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  A person desiring to register to vote must submit an
  application to the registrar of the county in which the person
  resides. Except as provided by Subsection (e), an application must
  be submitted by personal delivery, by mail, or by telephonic
  facsimile machine in accordance with Section 13.143(d-2) [Sections
  13.143(d) and (d-2)].
         SECTION 2.  Section 13.046(f), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (f)  Except as provided by this subsection, Sections
  13.039[, 13.041,] and 13.042 apply to the submission and delivery
  of registration applications under this section, and for that
  purpose, "volunteer deputy registrar" in those sections includes a
  high school deputy registrar. A high school deputy registrar may
  review an application for completeness out of the applicant's
  presence. A deputy may deliver a group of applications to the
  registrar by mail in an envelope or package, and, for the purpose of
  determining compliance with the delivery deadline, an application
  delivered by mail is considered to be delivered at the time of its
  receipt by the registrar.
         SECTION 3.  Section 13.071, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 13.071.  REVIEW OF APPLICATION. (a) The registrar
  shall review each submitted application for registration to
  determine whether it complies with Section 13.002 and indicates
  that the applicant is a United States citizen eligible for
  registration.
         (b)  If the application is submitted to the Department of
  Public Safety in person with the proof of citizenship required by
  Section 20.063(e), the [The] registrar shall make the determination
  not later than the seventh day after the date the application is
  submitted to the registrar.
         (c)  If the application is submitted in a manner other than
  the manner described by Subsection (b), the registrar shall forward
  the information relating to the applicant to the secretary of state
  for determining citizenship as provided by Section 13.0721.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 13.0721 to read as follows:
         Sec. 13.0721.  DETERMINATION OF CITIZENSHIP. (a)  This
  section does not apply to an application for registration submitted
  to the Department of Public Safety in person with the proof of
  citizenship required by Section 20.063(e).
         (b)  The secretary of state shall verify with the Department
  of Public Safety the citizenship status of each person whose
  information is forwarded to the secretary of state as provided by
  Section 13.071(c) or 15.021(f). The secretary of state shall
  notify the registrar whether the department verifies the person's
  citizenship status, does not have information regarding the
  citizenship status of the person, or has information indicating
  that the person is not a citizen.
         (c)  If the Department of Public Safety does not have
  information regarding the citizenship status of the person or has
  information indicating that the person is not a citizen, the
  registrar shall notify the person as provided by secretary of state
  rule.
         (d)  A person who receives notice under Subsection (c) must
  provide proof of citizenship to the registrar not later than the
  60th day after the date of receipt. Except as provided by
  Subsection (e), this proof must be presented in person. The
  following is acceptable as proof of citizenship under this section:
               (1)  an unexpired passport issued to the person;
               (2)  a certified copy of a birth certificate or other
  document confirming the person's birth that is admissible in a
  court of law and establishes the person's identity, presented with
  a government-issued identification that contains the person's
  photograph; or
               (3)  United States citizenship papers issued to the
  person, presented with a government-issued identification that
  contains the person's photograph.
         (e)  A person may mail a certified copy of a document
  described by Subsection (d)(2) or (3) with a copy of the person's
  government-issued photo identification to the registrar.
         (f)  If a person does not provide proof of citizenship as
  required, the registrar shall notify the secretary of state and:
               (1)  reject the person's voter registration
  application; or
               (2)  cancel the person's registration under Section
  16.031(c).
         (g)  The secretary of state shall keep a list of people of
  whom the secretary receives notice under Subsection (f).
         (h)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules and prescribe
  procedures to implement this section.
         SECTION 5.  Section 13.143(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Subsection [Subsections] (b) [and
  (e)], if an applicant's registration application is approved, the
  registration becomes effective on the 30th day after the date the
  application is approved [submitted to the registrar] or on the date
  the applicant becomes 18 years of age, whichever is later.
         SECTION 6.  Section 15.021, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (f) and (g) to read as follows:
         (f)  For a voter who continues to reside in the county in
  which the voter is registered, the registrar shall forward the
  notice and any information relating to the applicant in the
  registrar's possession to the secretary of state for citizenship
  determination as provided by Section 13.0721.
         (g)  If the registrar is notified under Section 13.0721 that
  a voter's citizenship status has been verified, the registrar shall
  approve the change in registration information. 
         SECTION 7.  Section 15.022(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The registrar shall make the appropriate corrections in
  the registration records, including, if necessary, deleting a
  voter's name from the suspense list:
               (1)  after approval [receipt of a notice] of a change in
  registration information under Section 15.021;
               (2)  after receipt of a voter's reply to a notice of
  investigation given under Section 16.033;
               (3)  after receipt of any affidavits executed under
  Section 63.006, following an election;
               (4)  after receipt of a voter's statement of residence
  executed under Section 63.0011;
               (5)  before the effective date of the abolishment of a
  county election precinct or a change in its boundary;
               (6)  after receipt of United States Postal Service
  information indicating an address reclassification;
               (7)  after receipt of a voter's response under Section
  15.053; or
               (8)  after receipt of a registration application or
  change of address under Chapter 20.
         SECTION 8.  Section 15.025(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Subsection [Subsections] (b) [and
  (d)], the registration of a voter described by this subsection
  whose information is changed on the registration records becomes
  effective as to the change on the 30th day after:
               (1)  the date a [the voter submits to the registrar a
  notice of a] change in registration information under Section
  15.021 is approved or a response under Section 15.053, indicating
  the change is received; or
               (2)  the date the voter submits a statement of
  residence to an election officer under Section 63.0011 or a
  registration application or change of address to an agency employee
  under Chapter 20, indicating the change.
         SECTION 9.  Section 16.031, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
         (c)  The registrar shall cancel a voter's registration if the
  voter submitted a notice of change in registration information
  under Section 15.021 and did not provide proof of citizenship when
  required under Section 13.0721.
         SECTION 10.  Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
         (e)  A person who submits a voter registration application to
  the department in person shall at the time of submission present as
  proof of citizenship:
               (1)  an unexpired passport issued to the person;
               (2)  a certified copy of a birth certificate or other
  document confirming the person's birth that is admissible in a
  court of law and establishes the person's identity; or
               (3)  United States citizenship papers issued to the
  person.
         SECTION 11.  The following provisions of the Election Code
  are repealed:
               (1)  Section 13.041;
               (2)  Sections 13.143(d) and (e); and
               (3)  Sections 15.025(c) and (d).
         SECTION 12.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only
  to an application to register to vote or a notice of change in
  registration information submitted on or after the effective date
  of this Act.
         SECTION 13.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.