| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the date on which a voter registration application |
|
|
becomes effective. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 13.042(c), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(c) An application submitted after the 19th [34th] day |
|
|
before the date of an election and on or before the last day for a |
|
|
person to timely submit a registration application for that |
|
|
election as provided by Section 13.143 shall be delivered not later |
|
|
than 5 p.m. of the next regular business day after the date to |
|
|
timely submit a registration application for that election as |
|
|
provided by Section 13.143. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 13.143(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (e), if an |
|
|
applicant's registration application is approved, the registration |
|
|
becomes effective on the 15th [30th] day after the date the |
|
|
application is submitted to the registrar or on the date the |
|
|
applicant becomes 18 years of age, whichever is later. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 13.144(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(a) Not later than the 15th [30th] day after the date the |
|
|
registrar receives the application, the registrar shall deliver the |
|
|
original of an initial certificate: |
|
|
(1) in person to the applicant or the applicant's agent |
|
|
appointed under Section 13.003; or |
|
|
(2) by mail to the applicant. |
|
|
SECTION 4. Sections 15.025(a) and (d), Election Code, are |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (d), the |
|
|
registration of a voter described by this subsection whose |
|
|
information is changed on the registration records becomes |
|
|
effective as to the change on the 15th [30th] day after: |
|
|
(1) the date the voter submits to the registrar a |
|
|
notice of a change in registration information under Section 15.021 |
|
|
or a response under Section 15.053, indicating the change; or |
|
|
(2) the date the voter submits a statement of |
|
|
residence to an election officer under Section 63.0011 or a |
|
|
registration application or change of address to an agency employee |
|
|
under Chapter 20, indicating the change. |
|
|
(d) If the 15th [30th] day before the date of an election is |
|
|
a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday, the |
|
|
document is considered to be timely if it is submitted to the |
|
|
registrar on or before the next regular business day. |
|
|
SECTION 5. Section 16.0921(c), Election Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(c) The registrar may not deliver a confirmation notice |
|
|
resulting from a sworn statement filed after the 75th day before the |
|
|
date of the general election for state and county officers until |
|
|
after the date of that election. This subsection does not apply to |
|
|
a person who submits a registration application after the 75th day |
|
|
and prior to the 15th [30th] day before the general election for |
|
|
state and county officers. |
|
|
SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|
|
a voter registration application submitted on or after the |
|
|
effective date of this Act. A voter registration application |
|
|
submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
|
|
law in effect when the application was submitted, and the former law |
|
|
is continued in effect for that purpose. |
|
|
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |