Bill Text: TX HB79 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to voter registration procedures.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-02-12 - Referred to Elections [HB79 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB79-Introduced.html
86R3244 JRJ-D | ||
By: E. Johnson of Dallas | H.B. No. 79 |
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relating to voter registration procedures. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Sections 13.002(a) and (b), Election Code, are | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(a) A person desiring to register to vote must submit an | ||
application to the registrar of the county in which the person | ||
resides. Except as provided by Subsection (e), an application must | ||
be submitted by personal delivery, by mail, electronically through | ||
the official Internet website of this state in accordance with | ||
Section 13.009, or by telephonic facsimile machine in accordance | ||
with Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2). | ||
(b) Except as provided by Section 13.009, a [ |
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application must be in writing and signed by the applicant. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Sections 13.009 and 13.010 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) In this | ||
section, "digital signature" means an electronic identifier | ||
intended by the person using it to have the same force and effect as | ||
the use of a manual signature. | ||
(b) An electronically transmitted application for voter | ||
registration issued or received by a registrar is considered signed | ||
if a digital signature is transmitted with the document. | ||
(c) The secretary of state shall implement a program to | ||
allow a person to complete and submit a voter registration | ||
application electronically through the official Internet website | ||
of this state. The Internet websites of the secretary of state and | ||
the Department of Public Safety must also provide a link to the | ||
location of the application on the official Internet website of | ||
this state. | ||
(d) An applicant for electronic voter registration must: | ||
(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on | ||
the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true; | ||
and | ||
(2) submit a digital signature. | ||
(e) An electronically transmitted application for voter | ||
registration submitted under this section is considered for all | ||
purposes an application submitted by mail under this title. | ||
(f) An electronically transmitted application for voter | ||
registration is a written document for all purposes and exempt from | ||
any additional writing requirement under this code. | ||
(g) The use of a digital signature under this section is | ||
subject to criminal laws pertaining to fraud and computer crimes, | ||
including Chapters 32 and 33, Penal Code. | ||
(h) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
implement this section, including rules to provide for additional | ||
security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of | ||
applications for voter registration submitted electronically. | ||
Sec. 13.010. VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF | ||
PUBLIC SAFETY. (a) The voter registrar of each county shall | ||
automatically register any county resident who is eligible to vote | ||
as provided by Section 13.001 and: | ||
(1) is issued a Texas driver's license or a personal | ||
identification card by the Department of Public Safety; or | ||
(2) makes a change to a Texas driver's license or | ||
personal identification card issued by the Department of Public | ||
Safety. | ||
(b) A driver's license or personal identification card | ||
transaction with an indication provided by Section 20.062(b) or | ||
20.063(c) that the transaction is not for voter registration | ||
purposes is not subject to this section. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 20.061, Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 20.061. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other | ||
provisions of this chapter apply to the Department of Public Safety | ||
except provisions that conflict with this subchapter or Section | ||
13.010. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 20.062(b), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) The department shall prescribe and use a change of | ||
address form and procedure that combines department and voter | ||
registration functions. The form must allow a licensee or | ||
cardholder to indicate that [ |
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SECTION 5. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 20.063. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) The Department | ||
of Public Safety shall consider an application made in person, by | ||
mail, or online at the department's Internet website [ |
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an original or renewal of a driver's license, a personal | ||
identification card, or a duplicate or corrected license or card by | ||
a person who is eligible to vote as provided by Section 13.001 an | ||
application for [ |
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The date of application is considered to be the date of submission | ||
to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective | ||
date of registration [ |
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(b) The Department of Public Safety shall consider a change | ||
of address that relates to [ |
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license or card and that is submitted to [ |
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department [ |
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[ |
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online at the department's Internet website [ |
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[ |
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department employee is considered to be the date of submission to | ||
the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective | ||
date of registration [ |
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(c) The registration of an eligible [ |
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voter as required by Subsections (a) and (b) is automatic unless the | ||
person indicates that the transaction is not for voter | ||
registration purposes [ |
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SECTION 6. Section 20.065(b), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) Each weekday the department is regularly open for | ||
business, the department shall electronically transfer to the | ||
secretary of state the name and information designated by the | ||
secretary of state for [ |
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registration for each individual who is eligible to vote as | ||
provided by Section 13.001 and applies in person, by mail, or online | ||
at the department's Internet website for an original or renewal of a | ||
driver's license, a personal identification card, or a duplicate or | ||
corrected license or card [ |
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implement this subsection. | ||
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |