Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB856 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R3617 TSS-D
2	2	By: Bucy H.B. No. 856
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. Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 12.007 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 12.007. CERTAIN ELECTION OFFICERS ARE VOTER
13	13	REGISTRARS. The registrar shall appoint at least one election
14	14	officer serving each polling place for early voting by personal
15	15	appearance or on election day as a regular deputy registrar.
16	16	SECTION 2. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding
17	17	Section 63.010 to read as follows:
18	18	Sec. 63.010. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE; VOTING
19	19	PROCEDURES. (a) Other applicable provisions of this code apply to
20	20	the conduct of voting and to the registration of voters under this
21	21	section to the extent those provisions do not conflict with this
22	22	section.
23	23	(b) A person who would be eligible to vote in an election
24	24	under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered
25	25	voter, shall be accepted for voting at a polling place at which the
26	26	person would be allowed to vote if registered if, on the day the
27	27	person offers to vote, the person:
28	28	(1) submits a voter registration application that
29	29	complies with Section 13.002 to a voter registrar at the polling
30	30	place;
31	31	(2) presents as proof of identification:
32	32	(A) a Texas driver's license, including a
33	33	temporary license or instruction permit, or personal
34	34	identification card issued to the person by the Department of
35	35	Public Safety that states the person's current address on the day
36	36	the person seeks to vote; or
37	37	(B) a utility bill addressed to the person dated
38	38	not earlier than the 30th day before the date the person seeks to
39	39	vote, and:
40	40	(i) a Texas driver's license, including a
41	41	temporary license or instruction permit, or personal
42	42	identification card issued to the person by the Department of
43	43	Public Safety, regardless of whether the address stated on the
44	44	license or card is current on the day the person seeks to vote;
45	45	(ii) a United States passport issued to the
46	46	person; or
47	47	(iii) a United States military
48	48	identification card that contains the person's photograph; and
49	49	(3) executes an affidavit stating that the person:
50	50	(A) is eligible to vote in the election; and
51	51	(B) is voting only once in the election.
52	52	(c) Persons voting under this section shall be processed
53	53	separately at the polling place from persons who are voting under
54	54	regular procedures.
55	55	(d) The secretary of state shall adopt rules to ensure the
56	56	accountability of election officers and to fairly implement this
57	57	section.
58	58	SECTION 3. Section 85.031(a), Election Code, is amended to
59	59	read as follows:
60	60	(a) For each person entitled to vote an early voting ballot
61	61	by personal appearance or who is entitled to register at a polling
62	62	place, the early voting clerk shall follow the procedure for
63	63	accepting a regular voter on election day, with the modifications
64	64	necessary for the conduct of early voting.
65	65	SECTION 4. The secretary of state shall adopt rules as
66	66	required by Section 63.010, Election Code, as added by this Act, not
67	67	later than February 1, 2022.
68	68	SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
69	69	an election for which early voting by personal appearance begins on
70	70	or after February 1, 2022.
71	71	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.