88R1216 MLH-D
 
  By: Bucy H.B. No. 675
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to electronic voter registration.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 13.009.  ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The
  secretary of state shall work with the Department of Public Safety
  and the Department of Information Resources to implement a program
  to allow a person to complete a voter registration application over
  the Internet from the official website of this state. The Internet
  websites of the secretary of state and the Department of Public
  Safety must also provide a link to the location of the application
  on the official website of this state.
         (b)  An applicant for electronic voter registration who has
  an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card
  issued in this state must:
               (1)  attest to the truth of the information provided on
  the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
  and
               (2)  affirmatively consent to the use of the signature
  on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card
  for voter registration purposes.
         (c)  An applicant for electronic voter registration who does
  not have an unexpired driver's license or personal identification
  card issued in this state must:
               (1)  attest to the truth of the information provided on
  the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
  and
               (2)  digitally sign the applicant's application before
  submitting it electronically.
         (d)  For each application submitted under Subsection (b),
  the program shall require that a digital copy of the applicant's
  signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.
         (e)  A digital signature given as provided by secretary of
  state rule meets the signature requirement under Section 13.002(b).  
  An application submitted under this section is considered for all
  purposes an application submitted by mail under this title.
         (f)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
  implement this section, including rules to provide for additional
  security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of
  applications submitted electronically.
         (g)  The rules adopted under Subsection (f) must require
  that:
               (1)  the Internet website through which a person may
  complete a voter registration application include a description of
  the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location
  on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the
  application; and
               (2)  the state electronic Internet portal project be
  used to authenticate the identity and address of a person who
  submits an application electronically under this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.