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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to notification by the secretary of state when a person |
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convicted of a felony may register to vote. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 13.007, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (d) to read as follows: |
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(d) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this |
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section that for a person not eligible to vote under Section |
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13.001(a)(4): |
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(1) the person represented on a registration |
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application that the person is eligible to register to vote; and |
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(2) the person received notice under Section |
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15.029(c). |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 15, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 15.029 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 15.029. NOTIFICATION OF REGISTRATION ELIGIBILITY BY |
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SECRETARY OF STATE. (a) This section applies to a person who is |
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ineligible to vote in this state under Section 13.001(a)(4) because |
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the person was finally convicted of a felony. |
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(b) The secretary of state shall coordinate with the Texas |
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Department of Criminal Justice, the Department of Public Safety, |
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and any other relevant agency to determine when a person to whom |
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this section applies is no longer ineligible to vote or apply for |
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voter registration under Section 13.001(a)(4)(A) or (B). |
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(c) At the time a person to whom this section applies is no |
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longer ineligible to vote under Section 13.001(a)(4)(A) or (B), the |
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secretary of state shall use best efforts to provide the person |
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with: |
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(1) a notice informing the person in plain language |
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that the person's felony conviction no longer disqualifies the |
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person from being eligible to register to vote, including a |
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complete list of eligibility requirements; |
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(2) instructions for registration; and |
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(3) a voter registration application. |
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(d) The secretary of state shall post on the secretary's |
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Internet website a generic version of the notice described by |
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Subsection (c)(1). |
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(e) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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administer this section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 64.012, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(e) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under |
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Subsection (a)(1) that the person received notice under Section |
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15.029(c). |
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SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act in amending |
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Sections 13.007 and 64.012, Election Code, apply only to an offense |
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committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense |
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committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
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law in effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, |
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an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if |
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any element of the offense occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |