Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB696 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R2437 MLH-D
2	2	By: Fierro H.B. No. 696
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to voter registration applications.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 13.073, Election Code, is amended by
10	10	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (b-1) to read as
11	11	follows:
12	12	(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b) or (b-1), the
13	13	registrar shall deliver written notice of the reason for the
14	14	rejection of an application to the applicant not later than the
15	15	second day after the date of rejection.
16	16	(b-1) Before rejecting an application on which an applicant
17	17	provided a telephone number or e-mail address, the registrar may
18	18	notify an applicant by telephone or e-mail that the registrar needs
19	19	additional information to approve the application, including
20	20	correcting an applicant's date of birth, correcting the spelling of
21	21	the applicant's name, or providing additional information to
22	22	correct an address or county of residence. The registrar shall make
23	23	a reasonable effort to contact the applicant by telephone or
24	24	e-mail. The registrar may send the applicant by mail or e-mail a
25	25	blank voter registration application that includes the address to
26	26	return the application to the registrar.
27	27	SECTION 2. Section 13.122(a), Election Code, is amended to
28	28	read as follows:
29	29	(a) In addition to the other statements and spaces for
30	30	entering information that appear on an officially prescribed
31	31	registration application form, each official form must include:
32	32	(1) the statement: "I understand that giving false
33	33	information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime
34	34	under state and federal law.";
35	35	(2) a space for the applicant's registration number;
36	36	(3) a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license
37	37	number or number of a personal identification card issued by the
38	38	Department of Public Safety;
39	39	(4) a space for the applicant's telephone number;
40	40	(5) a space for the applicant's social security
41	41	number;
42	42	(6) a space for the applicant's sex;
43	43	(7) a statement indicating that the furnishing of the
44	44	applicant's telephone number, e-mail address, and sex is optional;
45	45	(8) a space or box for indicating whether the
46	46	applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a
47	47	change in current registration information;
48	48	(9) a statement instructing a voter who is using the
49	49	form to make a change in current registration information to enter
50	50	the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate
51	51	spaces on the form;
52	52	(10) a statement that if the applicant declines to
53	53	register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be
54	54	used only for voter registration purposes;
55	55	(11) a statement that if the applicant does register
56	56	to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the
57	57	application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used
58	58	only for voter registration purposes;
59	59	(12) a space or box for indicating whether the
60	60	applicant is interested in working as an election judge;
61	61	(13) a statement warning that a conviction for making
62	62	a false statement may result in imprisonment for up to the maximum
63	63	amount of time provided by law, a fine of up to the maximum amount
64	64	provided by law, or both the imprisonment and the fine; [and]
65	65	(14) a space for the applicant's e-mail address; and
66	66	(15) any other voter registration information
67	67	required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by
68	68	the secretary of state.
69	69	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.