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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to voter registration. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 12.007 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.007. CERTAIN ELECTION OFFICERS ARE VOTER |
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REGISTRARS. An election officer serving a polling place for early |
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voting by personal appearance is a deputy voter registrar and has |
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the same authority as a regular deputy registrar. |
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SECTION 2. Section 13.001(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) To be eligible to apply for registration, a person must, |
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on the date the registration application is submitted to the |
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registrar, be at least 17 years [and 10 months] of age and satisfy |
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the requirements of Subsection (a) except for age. |
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SECTION 3. 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. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The |
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secretary of state shall, in coordination with the Department of |
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Public Safety, implement a program to allow a person with an |
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unexpired driver's license or personal identification card issued |
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in this state to complete a voter registration application over the |
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Internet from a secure Internet website. |
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(b) The Internet website established under this section |
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must allow a person to submit: |
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(1) an initial application for registration; and |
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(2) an application to update a voter registration |
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record. |
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(c) When a person submits an application under this section, |
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the secretary of state shall compare the information provided by |
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the applicant against Department of Public Safety records. |
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(d) The completed online application and information from |
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the Department of Public Safety, including the applicant's digital |
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signature, shall be provided to: |
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(1) the county voter registration office for the |
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county where the applicant currently resides; and |
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(2) the secretary of state for the statewide |
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computerized voter registration list under Section 18.061. |
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(e) An application electronically submitted under this |
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section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted |
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by mail under this title. A digital signature given as provided by |
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secretary of state rule meets the signature requirement under |
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Section 13.002(b). |
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(f) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 13.046, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as |
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follows: |
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(d) At least twice each school year, a high school deputy |
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registrar shall distribute an officially prescribed registration |
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application form to each student who is or will be 18 years of age or |
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older during that year, subject to rules prescribed by the |
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secretary of state. A high school deputy registrar shall annually |
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submit the number of registration application forms distributed |
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under this section and the number of students whose year of birth |
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was at least 18 years ago to the secretary of state. |
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(d-1) The secretary of state shall publish and maintain on |
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the agency's Internet website a list of high schools to which |
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Subsection (d) applies and indicate whether the school is in |
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compliance with that subsection. |
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SECTION 5. Chapter 62, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 62.0015 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 62.0015. VOTER REGISTRARS MUST BE PRESENT. Two voter |
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registrars must be present at each polling place while the polls are |
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open. |
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SECTION 6. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 63.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 63.010. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE. (a) A person |
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who would be eligible to vote in an election under Section 11.001, |
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but for the requirement to be a registered voter, shall be accepted |
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during voting by personal appearance for voting the ballot for the |
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precinct of the person's residence as shown by the identification |
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presented if, on the day the person offers to vote, the person: |
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(1) submits a voter registration application that |
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complies with Section 13.002 to an election officer at the polling |
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place; and |
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(2) presents as proof of residence a form of photo |
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identification described by Section 63.0101(a) that states the |
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person's current address. |
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(b) The election officer shall return the original proof of |
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residence to the voter. |
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(c) A person voting under this section shall vote a |
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provisional ballot in the manner provided by Section 63.011 except |
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that the person is not required to submit the affidavit under |
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Section 63.011(a). |
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(d) For each registration corresponding to a ballot cast |
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under this section, the voter registrar shall review the |
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application and determine whether the applicant is eligible for |
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registration as provided by Subchapter C, Chapter 13. A |
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registration approved under this subsection takes effect on the |
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date the vote was cast. |
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(e) The secretary of state may by rule: |
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(1) designate additional documents that a person may |
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offer to prove the person's residence to register and vote under |
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this section; and |
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(2) prescribe procedures to implement this section. |
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SECTION 7. Section 65.051(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The early voting ballot board shall verify and count |
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provisional ballots as provided by this subchapter not later than |
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the 10th [ninth] day after the date of an election. |
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SECTION 8. Section 67.003(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Each [Except as provided by Subsection (c), each] local |
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canvassing authority shall convene to conduct the local canvass at |
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the time set by the canvassing authority's presiding officer not |
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later than the 14th [11th] day after election day and not earlier |
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than the later of: |
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(1) the third day after election day; |
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(2) the date on which the early voting ballot board has |
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verified and counted all provisional ballots, if a provisional |
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ballot has been cast in the election; or |
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(3) the date on which all timely received ballots cast |
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from addresses outside of the United States are counted, if a ballot |
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to be voted by mail in the election was provided to a person outside |
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of the United States. |
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SECTION 9. Section 85.031(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) For each person entitled to vote an early voting ballot |
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by personal appearance or entitled to register at a polling place, |
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the early voting clerk shall follow the procedure for accepting or |
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registering a regular voter on election day, with the modifications |
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necessary for the conduct of early voting. |
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SECTION 10. Section 67.003(c), Election Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 11. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |