Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2197 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Bettencourt S.B. No. 2197
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to documentation of proof of identification for voting.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Section 15.001(a), Election Code, is amended to
9	9	read as follows:
10	10	(a) Each voter registration certificate issued must
11	11	contain:
12	12	(1) the voter's name in the form indicated by the
13	13	voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section
14	14	13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state;
15	15	(2) the voter's residence address or, if the residence
16	16	has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a
17	17	concise description of the location of the voter's residence;
18	18	(3) the month, day, and year of the voter's birth;
19	19	(4) the number of the county election precinct in
20	20	which the voter resides;
21	21	(5) the voter's effective date of registration if an
22	22	initial certificate;
23	23	(6) the voter's registration number;
24	24	(7) an indication of the period for which the
25	25	certificate is issued;
26	26	(8) a statement explaining the circumstances under
27	27	which the voter will receive a new certificate;
28	28	(9) a space for stamping the voter's political party
29	29	affiliation;
30	30	(10) a statement that voting with the certificate by a
31	31	person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued
32	32	is a felony;
33	33	(11) a space for the voter's signature;
34	34	(12) a statement that the voter must sign the
35	35	certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt;
36	36	(13) a space for the voter to correct the information
37	37	on the certificate followed by a signature line;
38	38	(14) the statement: "If any information on this
39	39	certificate changes or is incorrect, correct the information in the
40	40	space provided, sign below, and return this certificate to the
41	41	voter registrar.";
42	42	(15) the registrar's mailing address and telephone
43	43	number; [and]
44	44	(16) the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for
45	45	the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as
46	46	determined by the voter registrar:
47	47	(A) congressional district;
48	48	(B) state senatorial district;
49	49	(C) state representative district;
50	50	(D) commissioners precinct;
51	51	(E) justice precinct;
52	52	(F) city election precinct; and
53	53	(G) school district election precinct; and
54	54	(17) the photograph of the voter to whom the
55	55	certificate is issued if a photograph has been obtained under
56	56	Section 31.013.
57	57	SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
58	58	amended by adding Section 31.013 to read as follows:
59	59	Sec. 31.013. PHOTO IDENTIFICATION ACCESS. The secretary of
60	60	state shall establish methods to obtain a photograph of each
61	61	registered voter for use on the voter's voter registration
62	62	certificate. For purposes of this section, the secretary of state
63	63	shall enter into agreements with the Department of Public Safety
64	64	and may enter into agreements with other state agencies and
65	65	governmental entities for assistance with assigning photographs to
66	66	the appropriate voter's voter registration certificate.
67	67	SECTION 3. Section 63.0101, Election Code, is amended to
68	68	read as follows:
69	69	Sec. 63.0101. DOCUMENTATION OF PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION.
70	70	The following documentation is an acceptable form of photo
71	71	identification under this chapter:
72	72	(1) a driver's license, election identification
73	73	certificate, or personal identification card issued to the person
74	74	by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired or that
75	75	expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation;
76	76	(2) a United States military identification card that
77	77	contains the person's photograph that has not expired or that
78	78	expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation;
79	79	(3) a United States citizenship certificate issued to
80	80	the person that contains the person's photograph;
81	81	(4) a United States passport issued to the person that
82	82	has not expired or that expired no earlier than 60 days before the
83	83	date of presentation; [or]
84	84	(5) a license to carry a handgun issued to the person
85	85	by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired or that
86	86	expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation; or
87	87	(6) a voter's voter registration certificate
88	88	containing the voter's photograph.
89	89	SECTION 4. (a) As soon as practicable after the effective
90	90	date of this Act, the secretary of state shall establish, subject to
91	91	Subsection (b) of this section, the photo identification access
92	92	program required by Section 31.013, Election Code, as added by this
93	93	Act.
94	94	(b) The photo identification access program required by
95	95	Section 31.013, Election Code, as added by this Act, must provide
96	96	for voter registration certificates to contain photographs for use
97	97	beginning with the general election for state and county officers
98	98	held in 2018.
99	99	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.