Bill Text: TX HB943 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to voter registration, including electronic voter registration.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-03-02 - Referred to Elections [HB943 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB943-Introduced.html
88R2973 LRM-D | ||
By: Dutton | H.B. No. 943 |
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relating to voter registration, including electronic voter | ||
registration. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 12.006(f), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(f) A regular deputy registrar may not assist in the | ||
registration of voters until the deputy registrar has completed | ||
training developed under Section 12.007 [ |
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appointment, the voter registrar shall provide information about | ||
the times and places at which training is offered. | ||
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is | ||
amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The | ||
secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person who | ||
has a valid state-issued driver's license or personal | ||
identification card to complete a voter registration application | ||
over the Internet from an official state website. The secretary of | ||
state may develop an Internet website for this purpose. | ||
(b) 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; | ||
(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature | ||
on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card | ||
for voter registration purposes; | ||
(3) provide the information required under Section | ||
13.002(c); and | ||
(4) provide the audit number and date of issuance of | ||
the applicant's Texas driver's license or personal identification | ||
card issued by the Department of Public Safety. | ||
(c) When a person submits an application under this section, | ||
the secretary of state shall compare the information provided by | ||
the applicant against Department of Public Safety records. If any | ||
information submitted by an applicant does not match Department of | ||
Public Safety records, the secretary shall reject the application. | ||
(d) When a person submits an application under this section, | ||
the Internet Protocol address of the device used to submit the | ||
application shall be recorded and included with the applicant's | ||
application file under Section 13.101 or 13.102, as appropriate. | ||
(e) The completed online application and information from | ||
the Department of Public Safety, including all copies of the | ||
applicant's digital signature on record, shall be provided to: | ||
(1) the voter registrar for the county where the | ||
applicant currently resides; and | ||
(2) the secretary of state for the statewide | ||
computerized voter registration list under Section 18.061. | ||
(f) An application submitted electronically under this | ||
section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted | ||
by mail under this title. | ||
(g) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
implement this section. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 13.047, Election Code, is transferred to | ||
Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, and redesignated as | ||
Section 12.007, Election Code, to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 12.007 [ |
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REGISTRARS. (a) The secretary of state shall: | ||
(1) adopt standards of training in election law | ||
relating to the registration of voters; | ||
(2) develop materials for a standardized curriculum | ||
for that training; and | ||
(3) distribute the materials as necessary to each | ||
county voter registrar. | ||
(b) The training standards may include the passage of an | ||
examination at the end of a training program. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 20.037(c), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(c) An application form delivered by mail must be | ||
accompanied by a notice informing the applicant that the | ||
application may be submitted in person or by mail to the voter | ||
registrar of the county in which the applicant resides [ |
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SECTION 5. Section 20.122(c), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(c) The application forms must be accompanied by a notice | ||
informing the licensees that the applications may be submitted in | ||
person or by mail to the voter registrar of the county in which they | ||
reside [ |
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SECTION 6. Section 31.040(b), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) The commissioners court or the administrator may | ||
require any or all of the administrator's deputies[ |
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required of the administrator in an amount not exceeding the amount | ||
of the administrator's bond. | ||
SECTION 7. Section 31.161(b), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(b) The joint elections commission or the joint elections | ||
administrator may require any or all of the administrator's | ||
deputies[ |
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a bond similar to that required of the administrator in an amount | ||
not exceeding the amount of the administrator's bond. | ||
SECTION 8. The following provisions of the Election Code | ||
are repealed: | ||
(1) the heading to Subchapter B, Chapter 13; and | ||
(2) Sections 13.031, 13.032, 13.033, 13.034, 13.035, | ||
13.036, 13.037, 13.038, 13.039, 13.040, 13.041, 13.042, 13.043, | ||
13.044, 13.045, 13.046, and 13.048. | ||
SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |