| 1 | 1 | | 85R2954 ADM-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Johnson of Dallas H.B. No. 469 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the registration of voters at a polling place and |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | related procedures. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 62, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Section 62.0015 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 62.0015. VOTER REGISTRARS MUST BE PRESENT. Two voter |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | registrars must be present at each polling place while the polls are |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | open. |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | SECTION 2. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Section 63.010 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 63.010. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE; VOTING |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | PROCEDURES. (a) Other applicable provisions of this code apply to |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | the conduct of voting and to the registration of voters under this |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | section to the extent those provisions do not conflict with this |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | section. |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (b) A person who would be eligible to vote in an election |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | voter, shall be accepted for voting in the precinct of the person's |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | residence if, on the day the person offers to vote, the person: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (1) submits a voter registration application that |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | complies with Section 13.002 to a voter registrar at the polling |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | place; and |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (2) presents as proof of identification: |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (A) a Texas driver's license, including a |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | temporary license or instruction permit, or personal |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | identification card issued to the person by the Department of |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | Public Safety that states the person's current address on the day |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | the person seeks to vote; or |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | (B) a utility bill addressed to the person dated |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | not earlier than the 30th day before the date the person seeks to |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | vote, and: |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (i) a Texas driver's license, including a |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | temporary license or instruction permit, or personal |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | identification card issued to the person by the Department of |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | Public Safety, regardless of whether the address stated on the |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | license or card is current on the day the person seeks to vote; |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (ii) a United States passport issued to the |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | person; or |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | (iii) a United States military |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | identification card that contains the person's photograph. |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (c) Persons voting under this section shall be processed |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | separately at the polling place from persons who are voting under |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | regular procedures. |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | (d) The secretary of state shall adopt rules to ensure the |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | accountability of election officers and to fairly implement this |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | section. |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | SECTION 3. Section 85.031(a), Election Code, is amended to |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | read as follows: |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | (a) For each person entitled to vote an early voting ballot |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | by personal appearance or entitled to register at a polling place, |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | the early voting clerk shall follow the procedure for accepting or |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | registering a regular voter on election day, with the modifications |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | necessary for the conduct of early voting. |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | SECTION 4. The secretary of state shall adopt rules as |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | required by Section 63.010, Election Code, as added by this Act, not |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | later than February 1, 2018. |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | an election for which early voting by personal appearance begins on |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | or after February 1, 2018. |
|---|
| 66 | 66 | | SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
|---|