81R11509 ALB-D
By: Farias H.B. No. 4389
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the Health and Human Services Commission's authority to
combine applications for benefits with a voter registration
application.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 20, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 20.010 to read as follows:
Sec. 20.010. HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMISSION FORMS AND
PROCEDURES. (a) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall prescribe and require use by the
commission and health and human services agencies of forms and
procedures that combine each application form for a benefits
program administered by the commission or a health and human
services agency with an officially prescribed voter registration
application form.
(b) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
Services Commission shall prescribe and require use by the
commission and health and human services agencies of a change of
address form and procedure that combines commission or health and
human services agency functions and voter registration functions.
The form must allow a recipient of benefits to indicate whether the
change of address is also to be used for voter registration
purposes.
(c) The design, content, and physical characteristics of
the forms required by this section must be approved by the secretary
of state.
(d) Forms required under this section must include the
following statement in a prominent location: "If you are not a
citizen of the United States, it is illegal for you to register to
vote."
SECTION 2. If before implementing any provision of this Act
a state agency determines that a waiver or authorization from a
federal agency is necessary for implementation of that provision,
the agency affected by the provision shall request the waiver or
authorization and may delay implementing that provision until the
waiver or authorization is granted.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.