By: Dunnam H.B. No. 4421
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the form of, and information contained on, a voter
registration certificate.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 15.001 and 15.002, Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
Sec. 15.001. REQUIRED CONTENTS. (a) Each voter
registration certificate issued must be identical in form as a
driver's license, including identical materials, and contain:
(1) the voter's name in the form indicated by the
voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section
13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state;
(2) the voter's residence address or, if the residence
has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a
concise description of the location of the voter's residence;
(3) the month, day, and year of the voter's birth;
(4) the number of the county election precinct in
which the voter resides;
(5) the voter's effective date of registration if an
initial certificate;
(6) the voter's registration number;
(7) an indication of the period for which the
certificate is issued;
(8) a statement explaining the circumstances under
which the voter will receive a new certificate;
(9) a space for stamping the voter's political party
affiliation;
(10) a statement that voting with the certificate by a
person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued
is a felony;
(11) a space for the voter's signature;
(12) a statement that the voter must sign the
certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt;
(13) a space for the voter to correct the information
on the certificate followed by a signature line;
(14) the statement: "If any information on this
certificate changes or is incorrect, correct the information in the
space provided, sign below, and return this certificate to the
voter registrar.";
(15) the registrar's mailing address and telephone
number; [and]
(16) the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for
the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as
determined by the voter registrar:
(A) congressional district;
(B) state senatorial district;
(C) state representative district;
(D) commissioners precinct;
(E) justice precinct;
(F) city election precinct; and
(G) school district election precinct;
(17) the voter's sex;
(18) a representation of the Texas flag; and
(18) on the reverse, a strip for
electronically-readable information.
(b) A certificate may not contain:
(1) the voter's telephone number;
(2) the voter's social security number; or
(3) except as provided by Section 15.002, any other
information not specified by Subsection (a).
(c) The certificate issued under this section is the only
form of identification a voter must present to an election official
in order to exercise the person's fundamental right to vote. If the
provisions of another law conflict with the provisions of this
section, this section controls to the extent of the conflict.
Sec. 15.002. OPTIONAL CONTENTS. (a) A voter registration
certificate may be accompanied by a separate sheet contain an
explanation of the voter's rights or duties under this code,
including:
(1) the procedure by which the voter will receive a
renewal certificate;
(2) the necessity of notifying the registrar if the
voter changes residence;
(3) the necessity of applying for a new registration
if the voter changes residence to another county;
(4) the period during which the voter may vote a
limited ballot after changing residence to another county;
(5) the procedure for voting without a certificate;
and
(6) the procedure for obtaining a replacement for a
lost or destroyed certificate.
[(b) An explanation authorized by Subsection (a) may appear
on a separate sheet accompanying the certificate when it is
delivered.]
(c) In addition to the territorial units required to be
listed on a voter registration certificate under Section
15.001(a)(16), a certificate may contain up to seven jurisdictional
or distinguishing numbers for any other territorial units in which
the voter resides.
[(d) A voter registration certificate may contain the
voter's sex.]
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.