85R15097 ADM-D
By: Turner H.B. No. 3944
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to volunteer deputy registrars; repealing a criminal
offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 13.031(d), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(d) To be eligible for appointment as a volunteer deputy
registrar, a person must:
(1) be 18 years of age or older;
(2) not have been finally convicted of a felony or, if
so convicted, must have:
(A) fully discharged the person's sentence,
including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or
completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or
(B) been pardoned or otherwise released from the
resulting disability to vote;
(3) meet the requirements to be a qualified voter
under Section 11.002 except that the person is not required to be a
resident of this state or a registered voter; and
(4) not have been finally convicted of an offense
under Section 32.51, Penal Code.
SECTION 2. Sections 13.036(a) and (b), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(a) An appointment as a volunteer deputy registrar is
terminated on:
(1) the expiration of the volunteer deputy's term of
appointment; or
(2) the final conviction of the volunteer deputy for
an offense prescribed by Section [13.008 or] 13.043.
(b) The registrar may terminate the appointment of a
volunteer deputy registrar on a determination by the registrar that
the volunteer deputy:
(1) [failed to adequately review a registration
application as required by Section 13.039;
[(2)] intentionally destroyed or physically altered
a registration application; or
(2) [(3)] engaged in any other activity that conflicts
with the responsibilities of a volunteer deputy registrar under
this chapter.
SECTION 3. Section 13.038, Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
Sec. 13.038. POWERS GENERALLY. A volunteer deputy
registrar may:
(1) distribute voter registration application forms
throughout the state;
(2) [county and] receive registration applications
submitted to the deputy in person; and
(3) photocopy a received or submitted application.
SECTION 4. Section 13.042(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) A volunteer deputy registrar shall deliver in person,
[or] by personal delivery through another designated volunteer
deputy, or by mail to the registrar each completed voter
registration application submitted to the deputy, as provided by
this section. The secretary of state shall prescribe any
procedures necessary to ensure the proper and timely delivery of
completed applications that are not delivered in person by the
volunteer deputy who receives them.
SECTION 5. Section 13.046(f), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(f) Except as provided by this subsection, Sections
[13.039,] 13.041[,] and 13.042 apply to the submission and delivery
of registration applications under this section, and for that
purpose, "volunteer deputy registrar" in those sections includes a
high school deputy registrar. A high school deputy registrar may
review an application for completeness out of the applicant's
presence. A deputy may deliver a group of applications to the
registrar by mail in an envelope or package, and, for the purpose of
determining compliance with the delivery deadline, an application
delivered by mail is considered to be delivered at the time of its
receipt by the registrar.
SECTION 6. Sections 12.006(f), 13.008, 13.031(e),
13.033(d), 13.039, 13.047, and 13.048, Election Code, are repealed.
SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply to a
volunteer deputy registrar appointed before, on, or after the
effective date of this Act.
SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.