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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to verification of the accuracy of voter registration |
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applications and voter registration lists. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 18.068, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 18.068. COMPARISON OF INFORMATION REGARDING |
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INELIGIBILITY. (a) The secretary of state shall quarterly compare |
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the information received under Section 16.001 of this code and |
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Section 62.113, Government Code, to the statewide computerized |
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voter registration list. |
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(a-1) The secretary of state shall enter into an agreement |
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with the Department of Public Safety under which information in the |
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statewide computerized voter registration list is compared against |
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information in the database of the Department of Public Safety on a |
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monthly basis to verify the accuracy of information provided on |
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voter registration applications. The information compared must |
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include, at a minimum, a voter's: |
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(1) full legal name; |
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(2) former name, if applicable; |
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(3) date of birth; |
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(4) residence address; |
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(5) driver's license or state identification card |
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number; |
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(6) signature; |
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(7) social security number; |
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(8) documentation of lawful presence in this state; |
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and |
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(9) citizenship status. |
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(a-2) If the secretary determines from information received |
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under Subsection (a) or (a-1) that a voter on the registration list |
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may be ineligible to vote [is deceased or has been excused or |
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disqualified from jury service because the voter is not a citizen], |
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the secretary shall send notice of the determination to the voter |
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registrar of the counties considered appropriate by the secretary. |
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(b) The secretary of state shall by rule determine what |
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information combinations identified as common to a voter and to an |
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individual who is deceased or ineligible to vote constitute a weak |
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match or a strong match in order to: |
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(1) produce the least possible impact on Texas voters; |
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and |
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(2) fulfill its responsibility to manage the voter |
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rolls. |
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(c) The secretary of state may not determine that a voter is |
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deceased or ineligible to vote based on a weak match. The |
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secretary of state may inform the county of the voter's residence |
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that a weak match exists. |
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(d) On receiving notification from the secretary of state |
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under Subsection (c) that a weak match of identifying information |
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exists for a county voter and an individual who is deceased or |
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ineligible to vote, the county shall investigate whether the voter |
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is that [the] individual [who is deceased]. |
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(e) The secretary of state may determine that a voter is |
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deceased or ineligible to vote based on a strong match. |
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(f) The secretary of state may obtain, for purposes of |
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determining whether a voter is deceased or ineligible to vote, |
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information from other state agency databases relating to a voter |
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that is the same type of information that the secretary of state or |
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a voter registrar collects or stores for voter registration |
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purposes. |
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(g) Not later than December 31 of each year, the secretary |
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of state shall provide a report to the legislature of the number of |
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voters determined to be ineligible under this section during the |
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calendar year. The report must include the reason for |
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ineligibility for each voter. |
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SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an application to register to vote submitted on or after the |
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effective date of this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |