BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 1470

By: Hughes

Elections

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill sponsor has informed the committee that the data received by the Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) on former Texans who apply for driver's licenses in other states provides a ready-made list of people who no longer live in Texas and thus should no longer be registered to vote in Texas. S.B. 1470 seeks to address this issue by ensuring that DPS shares this data with the secretary of state for purposes of voter list maintenance.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the secretary of state in SECTION 1 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 1470 amends the Election Code to require the secretary of state, for purposes of maintaining the statewide voter registration list and preventing duplication of registration in more than one state or jurisdiction, to use data of registered voters who apply for a driver's license or personal identification card in another state to identify voters whose addresses have changed, who are not qualified to vote based on felony conviction, or who are registered to vote in more than one state. The bill requires the Department of Public Safety (DPS), for purposes of implementing the bill's provisions, to share with the secretary of state any data related to individuals who hold a driver's license or personal identification card in Texas and who apply for a driver's license or personal identification card in another state. The bill authorizes the secretary of state, in consultation with DPS, to adopt rules and establish procedures for the administration of the bill's provisions.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.