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| 3 | 8 | | |
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| 4 | 9 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 10 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 11 | | relating to recognition of certain identification documents by |
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| 7 | 12 | | governmental officials. |
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| 8 | 13 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 14 | | SECTION 1. Subtitle A, Title 6, Government Code, is amended |
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| 10 | 15 | | by adding Chapter 620 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 16 | | CHAPTER 620. RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENTS |
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| 12 | 17 | | Sec. 620.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: |
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| 13 | 18 | | (1) "Governmental entity" means: |
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| 14 | 19 | | (A) the state; |
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| 15 | 20 | | (B) a political subdivision of the state, |
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| 16 | 21 | | including a municipality, a county, or any kind of district; or |
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| 17 | 22 | | (C) an institution, board, commission, office, |
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| 18 | 23 | | department, court, or other agency: |
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| 19 | 24 | | (i) in the executive, judicial, or |
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| 20 | 25 | | legislative branch of state government, including an institution of |
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| 21 | 26 | | higher education as defined by Section 61.003, Education Code; or |
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| 22 | 27 | | (ii) of a political subdivision of the |
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| 23 | 28 | | state. |
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| 24 | 29 | | (2) "Governmental official" means an employee, agent, |
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| 25 | 30 | | or elected or appointed official of a governmental entity. The term |
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| 26 | 31 | | does not include an election officer accepting a voter under |
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| 27 | 32 | | Chapter 63, Election Code. |
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| 28 | 33 | | Sec. 620.002. RECOGNITION OF CERTAIN IDENTIFICATION |
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| 29 | 34 | | DOCUMENTS BY GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS. (a) A governmental official |
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| 30 | 35 | | may not accept, rely on, or otherwise use an identification |
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| 31 | 36 | | document for the purpose of determining a person's identity or |
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| 32 | 37 | | residency unless the document is expressly authorized for that |
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| 33 | 38 | | purpose under Subsection (b). |
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| 34 | 39 | | (b) The secretary of state by rule shall specify the |
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| 35 | 40 | | identification documents that may be accepted by a governmental |
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| 36 | 41 | | official. Rules adopted under this subsection: |
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| 37 | 42 | | (1) may not authorize an identification document |
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| 38 | 43 | | issued by a political subdivision of this state; and |
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| 39 | 44 | | (2) must require that foreign identification |
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| 40 | 45 | | documents include appropriate security measures to ensure |
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| 41 | 46 | | authenticity. |
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| 42 | 47 | | Sec. 620.003. CERTAIN IDENTIFICATION DOCUMENT POLICIES |
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| 43 | 48 | | PROHIBITED. (a) A governmental entity may not adopt or enforce a |
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| 44 | 49 | | rule, ordinance, order, policy, or other measure that is |
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| 45 | 50 | | inconsistent with Section 620.002. |
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| 46 | 51 | | (b) A rule, ordinance, order, policy, or other measure that |
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| 47 | 52 | | is inconsistent with Section 620.002 is void. |
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| 48 | 53 | | Sec. 620.004. EFFECT ON ELECTION LAW. This chapter may not |
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| 49 | 54 | | be construed to have any effect on state election law, including the |
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| 50 | 55 | | acceptable forms of photo identification under Chapter 63, Election |
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| 51 | 56 | | Code. |
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| 52 | 57 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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