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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to maintaining the accuracy of information contained |
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within the statewide voter registration system; creating a criminal |
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offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 18.062(i), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(i) In addition to using a system described by Subsection |
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(a), the secretary of state shall, [use data from the National |
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Change of Address database to identify voters whose addresses have |
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changed] for the purpose of preventing duplication of registration |
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in more than one state or jurisdiction and to identify voters whose |
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addresses have changed: |
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(1) use data from the National Change of Address |
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database; and |
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(2) enter into an agreement with the Department of |
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Public Safety to receive notice of a change of address submitted |
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under Section 521.054, Transportation Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 18.065, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (e-1) and (g-1) to read as follows. |
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(e-1) On a third violation under Subsection (e), the |
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secretary of state shall, as necessary, assume the voter |
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registrar's duties relating to the maintenance of the statewide |
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voter registration list, including the registrar's duties related |
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to the maintenance of accurate registration records under: |
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(1) Subchapters B, C, and D, Chapter 15; and |
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(2) Chapter 16. |
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(g-1) It is an offense for a voter registrar to commit a |
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violation of a requirement imposed on the registrar by a provision |
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or rule described in Subsection (a) three or more times. An offense |
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under this subsection is a Class A misdemeanor. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |