| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to electronic voter registration through a voter |
|
|
registration agency. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 13.002, Election Code, is amended by |
|
|
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (e-1) 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 Subsections [Subsection] (e) and |
|
|
(e-1), an application must be submitted by personal delivery, by |
|
|
mail, or by telephonic facsimile machine in accordance with |
|
|
Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2). |
|
|
(e-1) A registrar shall adopt procedures to allow a voter |
|
|
registration agency to deliver a completed voter registration |
|
|
application over the Internet. The secretary of state shall review |
|
|
any procedures adopted under this section to ensure the procedures |
|
|
comply with the provisions of this code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 20.032, Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 20.032. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) An appropriate |
|
|
agency employee shall routinely inform each person who applies [in |
|
|
person] for agency services of the opportunity to complete a voter |
|
|
registration application form and on request shall provide |
|
|
nonpartisan voter registration assistance to the applicant. |
|
|
(b) An agency that provides services at a person's residence |
|
|
shall provide the opportunity to complete the form and the |
|
|
assistance under Subsection (a) at the residence. |
|
|
(c) On receipt of a registration application, the |
|
|
appropriate agency employee shall review it for completeness [in |
|
|
the applicant's presence]. If the application does not contain all |
|
|
the required information and the required signature, the agency |
|
|
employee shall return the application to the applicant for |
|
|
completion and resubmission. |
|
|
(d) Information regarding the agency or office to which an |
|
|
application is submitted is confidential and may be used only for |
|
|
voter registration purposes. |
|
|
(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an agency |
|
|
shall adopt procedures providing for: |
|
|
(1) a person applying for initial services, |
|
|
recertification, renewal, or change of address with the agency over |
|
|
the Internet to also complete a voter registration application |
|
|
online; and |
|
|
(2) the delivery of a voter registration application |
|
|
to the voter registrar over the Internet. |
|
|
(f) For purposes of a voter registration application |
|
|
completed under this chapter, an electronic signature satisfies the |
|
|
requirement that an application be signed under Section 13.002(b). |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 20.065(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) At the end of each day a Department of Public Safety |
|
|
office is regularly open for business, the manager of the office |
|
|
shall deliver [by mail or in person] to the voter registrar of the |
|
|
county in which the office is located each completed voter |
|
|
registration application and applicable change of address |
|
|
submitted to a department employee. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Section 20.092(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) A public library shall provide to each person of voting |
|
|
age who applies [in person] for an original or renewal of a library |
|
|
card an opportunity to complete a voter registration application |
|
|
form. |
|
|
SECTION 5. (a) The voter registrar of a county must adopt |
|
|
procedures for the acceptance of voter registration applications |
|
|
under Section 13.002(e-1), Election Code, as added by this Act, not |
|
|
later than September 1, 2021. |
|
|
(b) A voter registration agency must adopt procedures as |
|
|
required by Section 20.032(e), Election Code, as added by this Act, |
|
|
not later than September 1, 2021. |
|
|
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |