BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.S.B. 511
89R20394 TSS-D	By: Bettencourt et al.
	State Affairs
	3/18/2025
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

During the leadup to the 2024 General Election, Bexar and Travis counties spent taxpayer funds to contract with a company to send out unsolicited voter registration cards. 

S.B. 511 bans an officer or employee of this state or of a political subdivision of this state from distributing voter registration cards to a person who did not request it, with a few exceptions. S.B. 511 would also prohibit an officer or employee of this state or of a political subdivision from using public funds to facilitate the distribution of voter registration cards by another person.

(Original Author/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

C.S.S.B. 511 amends current law relating to prohibiting an officer or employee of this state or of a political subdivision of this state from distributing certain voter registration application forms and creates a criminal offense.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, by adding Section 13.009, as follows:

Sec. 13.009. DISTRIBUTION OF APPLICATION; OFFENSE. (a) Prohibits an officer or employee of this state or of a political subdivision of this state, except as otherwise provided by a provision of this code, including provisions of Chapter 13 (Application for Registration; Initial Registration) and Chapter 20 (Voter Registration Agencies), from distributing a form on which a person is authorized to apply for registration to a person who did not request it.

(b) Prohibits an officer or employee of this state or of a political subdivision of this state from using public funds to facilitate the distribution by another person of a form the officer or employee would be prohibited from distributing under Subsection (a).

(c) Authorizes a political party or a candidate for office, notwithstanding Subsection (a), to distribute a form described by Subsection (a) to a person who did not request it.

(d) Provides that an officer or employee of this state or of a political subdivision of this state commits an offense if the officer or employee violates Subsection (a) or (b).

(e) Provides that an offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.