Texas 2017 - 85th 1st C.S.

Texas House Bill HB66 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85S10345 JRJ-D
2	2	By: Minjarez H.B. No. 66
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to automatic voter registration on issuance or change of a
8	8	driver's license or identification card by the Department of Public
9	9	Safety.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 13.009. VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF
14	14	PUBLIC SAFETY. (a) The voter registrar of each county shall
15	15	automatically register any county resident who is eligible to vote
16	16	as provided by Section 13.001 and:
17	17	(1) is issued a Texas driver's license or a personal
18	18	identification card by the Department of Public Safety; or
19	19	(2) makes a change to a Texas driver's license or
20	20	personal identification card issued by the Department of Public
21	21	Safety.
22	22	(b) A driver's license or personal identification card
23	23	transaction with an indication provided by Section 20.062(b) or
24	24	20.063(c) that the transaction is not for voter registration
25	25	purposes is not subject to this section.
26	26	SECTION 2. Section 20.061, Election Code, is amended to
27	27	read as follows:
28	28	Sec. 20.061. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other
29	29	provisions of this chapter apply to the Department of Public Safety
30	30	except provisions that conflict with this subchapter or Section
31	31	13.009.
32	32	SECTION 3. Section 20.062(b), Election Code, is amended to
33	33	read as follows:
34	34	(b) The department shall prescribe and use a change of
35	35	address form and procedure that combines department and voter
36	36	registration functions. The form must allow a licensee or
37	37	cardholder to indicate that [whether] the change of address is not
38	38	[also to be used] for voter registration purposes.
39	39	SECTION 4. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended to
40	40	read as follows:
41	41	Sec. 20.063. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) The Department
42	42	of Public Safety shall consider an application made in person, by
43	43	mail, or online at the department's Internet website [provide to
44	44	each person who applies in person at the department's offices] for
45	45	an original or renewal of a driver's license, a personal
46	46	identification card, or a duplicate or corrected license or card by
47	47	a person who is eligible to vote as provided by Section 13.001 an
48	48	application for [opportunity to complete a] voter registration.
49	49	The date of application is considered to be the date of submission
50	50	to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective
51	51	date of registration [application form].
52	52	(b) The Department of Public Safety shall consider a change
53	53	of address that relates to [When the department processes] a
54	54	license or card and that is submitted to [for renewal by mail,] the
55	55	department [shall deliver to the applicant by mail a voter
56	56	registration application form.
57	57	[(c) A change of address that relates to a license or card
58	58	and that is submitted to the department] in person, [or] by mail, or
59	59	online at the department's Internet website [serves] as a change in
60	60	[of address for] voter registration [unless the licensee or
61	61	cardholder indicates that the change is not for voter registration
62	62	purposes]. The date of submission of a change of address to a
63	63	department employee is considered to be the date of submission to
64	64	the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective
65	65	date of registration [only].
66	66	(c) The registration of an eligible [(d) If a completed]
67	67	voter as required by Subsections (a) and (b) is automatic unless the
68	68	person indicates that the transaction is not for voter
69	69	registration purposes [application submitted to a department
70	70	employee does not include the applicant's correct driver's license
71	71	number or personal identification card number, a department
72	72	employee shall enter the appropriate information on the
73	73	application. If a completed application does not include the
74	74	applicant's correct residence address or mailing address, a
75	75	department employee shall obtain the appropriate information from
76	76	the applicant and enter the information on the application].
77	77	SECTION 5. Section 20.065(b), Election Code, is amended to
78	78	read as follows:
79	79	(b) Each weekday the department is regularly open for
80	80	business, the department shall electronically transfer to the
81	81	secretary of state the name and information designated by the
82	82	secretary of state for [of each person who completes a] voter
83	83	registration for each individual who is eligible to vote as
84	84	provided by Section 13.001 and applies in person, by mail, or online
85	85	at the department's Internet website for an original or renewal of a
86	86	driver's license, a personal identification card, or a duplicate or
87	87	corrected license or card [application submitted to the
88	88	department]. The secretary shall prescribe procedures necessary to
89	89	implement this subsection.
90	90	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect December 1, 2017.