| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to restrictions on the assessment of the fee charged for |
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| 8 | 6 | | issuance of certain birth records. |
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| 9 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Section 191.0046, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 11 | 9 | | amended by adding Subsections (e) and (f) to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 10 | | (e) It is the intent of the legislature to not impose a cost |
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| 13 | 11 | | for obtaining certified records for the purpose of obtaining an |
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| 14 | 12 | | election identification certificate issued pursuant to Chapter |
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| 15 | 13 | | 521A, Transportation Code. Notwithstanding any other law, the |
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| 16 | 14 | | state registrar, a local registrar, or a county clerk shall not |
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| 17 | 15 | | charge a fee to an applicant that is associated with searching for |
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| 18 | 16 | | or providing a record, including a certified copy of a birth record, |
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| 19 | 17 | | if the applicant states that the applicant is requesting the record |
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| 20 | 18 | | for the purpose of obtaining an election identification certificate |
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| 21 | 19 | | under Section 521A.001, Transportation Code. |
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| 22 | 20 | | (f) Notwithstanding Subsection (e), a local registrar or a |
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| 23 | 21 | | county clerk who issues a birth record that is required for the |
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| 24 | 22 | | purpose of obtaining an election identification certificate issued |
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| 25 | 23 | | pursuant to Chapter 521A, Transportation Code, and is otherwise |
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| 26 | 24 | | entitled by law to retain all or a portion of a fee for that birth |
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| 27 | 25 | | record, is entitled to payment of the amount from the department. |
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| 28 | 26 | | SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to an |
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| 29 | 27 | | application for a certified copy of a birth record filed on or after |
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| 30 | 28 | | the effective date of this Act. An application for a certified copy |
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| 31 | 29 | | of a birth record filed before the effective date of this Act is |
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| 32 | 30 | | governed by the law in effect on that date, and the former law is |
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| 33 | 31 | | continued in effect for that purpose. |
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| 34 | 32 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 35 | 33 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 36 | 34 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 37 | 35 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 38 | 36 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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| 37 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 38 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 39 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 983 passed the Senate on |
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| 40 | + | May 11, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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| 41 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 42 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 43 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 983 passed the House on |
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| 44 | + | May 25, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, one |
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| 45 | + | present not voting. |
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| 46 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 47 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 48 | + | Approved: |
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| 49 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 50 | + | Date |
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| 51 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 52 | + | Governor |
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