82R5608 ATP-D
By: Lewis H.B. No. 1084
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to creation of the offense of registering to vote by
persons who are not citizens of the United States.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 13.008 to read as follows:
Sec. 13.008. UNLAWFUL APPLICATION BY PERSON WHO IS NOT
UNITED STATES CITIZEN. (a) A person commits an offense if the
person is not a citizen of the United States and the person:
(1) submits an application for registration as a voter
in this state; or
(2) requests, commands, or attempts to induce another
to submit on the person's behalf a registration application.
(b) An offense under this section is a state jail felony.
SECTION 2. Section 13.122(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) In addition to the other statements and spaces for
entering information that appear on an officially prescribed
registration application form, each official form must include:
(1) the statement: "I understand that giving false
information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime
under state and federal law and that submitting a voter
registration as a noncitizen is also a crime under state law.";
(2) a space for the applicant's registration number;
(3) a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license
number or number of a personal identification card issued by the
Department of Public Safety;
(4) a space for the applicant's telephone number;
(5) a space for the applicant's social security
number;
(6) a space for the applicant's sex;
(7) a statement indicating that the furnishing of the
applicant's telephone number and sex is optional;
(8) a space or box for indicating whether the
applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a
change in current registration information;
(9) a statement instructing a voter who is using the
form to make a change in current registration information to enter
the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate
spaces on the form;
(10) a statement that if the applicant declines to
register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be
used only for voter registration purposes;
(11) a statement that if the applicant does register
to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the
application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used
only for voter registration purposes;
(12) a space or box for indicating whether the
applicant is interested in working as an election judge;
(13) a statement warning that a conviction of an
offense under this code [for making a false statement] may result in
imprisonment for up to the maximum amount of time provided by law, a
fine of up to the maximum amount provided by law, or both the
imprisonment and the fine; and
(14) any other voter registration information
required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by
the secretary of state.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.