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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to prohibiting an officer or employee of this state or of a |
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political subdivision of this state from distributing certain voter |
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registration application forms and to the notice of availability of |
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such forms; creating criminal offenses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.009. DISTRIBUTION OF APPLICATION; OFFENSE. (a) |
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Except as otherwise provided by a provision of this code, including |
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provisions of this chapter and Chapter 20, an officer or employee of |
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this state or of a political subdivision of this state may not, |
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while engaged in the actual discharge of the officer's or employee's |
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duties, distribute a form on which a person may apply for |
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registration to a person who did not request it. |
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(b) An officer or employee of this state or of a political |
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subdivision of this state may not enter into a contract with a |
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third-party vendor permitting the use of public funds to distribute |
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a form the officer or employee would be prohibited from |
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distributing under Subsection (a). |
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(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a political party, an |
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elected official, or a candidate for office may distribute a form |
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described by Subsection (a) to a person who did not request it. |
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(d) An office of a state agency or a political subdivision |
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at which a person may request a form on which the person may apply |
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for registration shall display a notice indicating that |
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registration forms are available on request. A notice displayed |
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under this subsection shall be posted in English, Spanish, and any |
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other language in which election materials are required to be |
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provided in the political subdivision in which the office is |
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located under Section 272.011. |
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(e) An officer or employee of this state or of a political |
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subdivision of this state commits an offense if the officer or |
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employee violates Subsection (a) or (b). |
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(f) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor, |
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unless the officer or employee violated Subsection (b), in which |
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event the offense is a Class A misdemeanor. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |