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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to promoting voter registration and voting participation |
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in rural counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 18, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Subchapter D to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER D. RURAL VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION |
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Sec. 18.081. APPLICATION. This subchapter applies only to |
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a voter registrar in a county with a population of 250,000 or less |
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according to the most recent decennial census. |
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Sec. 18.082. RURAL VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION. |
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(a) Notwithstanding Section 19.004, each voter registrar may use |
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state funds disbursed under this subchapter or Chapter 19 to |
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promote voter registration or voting participation in a county. |
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(b) A voter registrar may promote: |
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(1) voter registration, by identifying persons |
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eligible for registration and encouraging the identified persons to |
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register to vote; and |
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(2) voting participation, by encouraging registered |
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voters to vote and providing to registered voters: |
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(A) election information, including voting dates |
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and polling place locations; and |
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(B) transportation to and from polling place |
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locations during the voting period. |
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(c) A voter registrar that promotes voter registration or |
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voting participation under Subsection (b)(1) or (2) may not: |
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(1) promote any particular party, candidate, or group |
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of candidates; or |
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(2) target the voter registrar's efforts toward |
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individuals on the basis of race, ethnicity, or sex. |
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(d) A voter registrar may contract with a nonprofit |
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organization to carry out the promotion of voter registration or |
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voting participation permitted under this section. |
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Sec. 18.083. FUNDING. A voter registrar may use any |
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available revenue, including legislative appropriations, and may |
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solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from a public or |
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private source for the purposes of this subchapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |