Bill Text: TX HB2987 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to issuance of a receipt for a voter registration application that may be used for the purpose of voting.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-16 - Referred to Elections [HB2987 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB2987-Introduced.html
 
 
  By: Israel H.B. No. 2987
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relati
  ng to issuance of a receipt for a voter registration
  application that may be used for the purpose of voting.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
         Sec. 13.009.  ISSUANCE OF RECEIPT. (a)  This section applies
  only to a completed registration application that is submitted by
  the applicant in person to a voter registrar, deputy registrar, or
  volunteer deputy registrar or a voter registration agency
  designated under Chapter 20.  This section does not apply to a
  completed registration application that is submitted by mail.
         (b)  On receipt of a completed registration application, the
  person receiving the application shall prepare a receipt on a form
  prescribed by the secretary of state and furnished by the
  registrar.
         (c)  The receipt must contain:
               (1)  the name of the applicant and, if applicable, the
  name of the applicant's agent;
               (2)  the date the completed application is submitted to
  the volunteer deputy registrar; and
               (3)  the following statement:  "This receipt is your
  proof of application for voter registration.  Retain it until you
  receive a voter registration certificate from your local voter
  registrar.  If you do not receive a voter certificate, you may use
  this receipt as proof that you timely submitted an application to
  vote."
         (d)  The person receiving the application shall sign the
  receipt in the applicant's presence and shall present the signed
  receipt to the applicant.
         (e)  The person receiving the application shall deliver a
  duplicate receipt to the registrar with the registration
  application or sign and date the application as set forth in
  subsection (g).  The registrar shall retain the receipt on file with
  the application.
         (f)  A voter registrar may allow a deputy voter registrar to
  sign their name, the date of registration, and any additional
  information required by the voter registrar on the voter
  registration application instead of issuing duplicate receipts.
         (g)  The secretary of state may prescribe a procedure that is
  an alternative to the procedure prescribed by this section that
  will ensure the accountability of the registration applications.
         SECTION 2.  Section 63.011, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:
         (f)  A person who votes a provisional ballot solely because
  the person's name was not on the list of registered voters for the
  precinct in which the person voted may present a voter registration
  receipt issued to the person under Section 13.009 as proof that the
  person is registered to vote in the precinct.  A person who does not
  present a voter registration receipt at the time of voting a
  provisional ballot may present the receipt to the voter registrar
  in the same manner as presenting identification for a provisional
  ballot under Section 65.0541.
         SECTION 3.  Section 65.054, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (e) and (f) to read as follows:
         (e)  Any voter who does not appear on the list of registered
  voters for the precinct and presents a receipt issued by a deputy
  voter registrar shall be noted on the affidavit executed under this
  section.  The affidavit shall include space for disclosure of the
  deputy registrar's name as listed on the receipt and the date the
  receipt was issued.  The election judge shall sign the affidavit to
  attest that the voter presented the receipt and that the
  information on the affidavit matches the receipt.
         (f)  For purposes of Subsection (b)(1), an affidavit
  indicating the voter registered in the precinct in which the voter
  voted that contains the name of a certified deputy registrar of the
  county and the receipt was dated in a timely manner to be eligible
  for the election or a receipt presented to the voter registrar under
  Section 63.011(f) is proof that the voter is eligible to vote in the
  election.  The voter registrar shall amend the list of registered
  voters accordingly and the early voting ballot board shall count
  the ballot.
         SECTION 4.  Section 13.040, Election Code, is repealed.
         SECTION 5.  The change in law made by this Act in adding
  Section 13.009, Election Code, applies only to a voter registration
  application submitted on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.
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