Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1111 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	S.B. No. 1111
	1	+	By: Bettencourt, et al. S.B. No. 1111
	2	+	(Paul)
2	3
3	4
	5	+	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
4	6		AN ACT
5	7		relating to the residence address of a voter for purposes of a
6	8		response to a confirmation notice sent by the voter registrar.
7	9		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	10		SECTION 1. Section 1.015, Election Code, is amended by
9	11		amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (f) to read as
10	12		follows:
11	13		(b) A person may not establish residence for the purpose of
12	14		influencing the outcome of a certain election [Residence shall be
13	15		determined in accordance with the common-law rules, as enunciated
14	16		by the courts of this state, except as otherwise provided by this
15	17		code].
16	18		(f) A person may not establish a residence at any place the
17	19		person has not inhabited. A person may not designate a previous
18	20		residence as a home and fixed place of habitation unless the person
19	21		inhabits the place at the time of designation and intends to remain.
20	22		SECTION 2. Section 15.051(a), Election Code, is amended to
21	23		read as follows:
22	24		(a) If the registrar has reason to believe that a voter's
23	25		current residence is different from that indicated on the
24	26		registration records, or that the voter's residence address is a
25	27		commercial post office box or similar location that does not
26	28		correspond to a residence, the registrar shall deliver to the voter
27	29		a written confirmation notice requesting confirmation of the
28	30		voter's current residence.
29	31		SECTION 3. Section 15.052(b), Election Code, is amended to
30	32		read as follows:
31	33		(b) The official confirmation notice response form must:
32	34		(1) provide spaces for the voter to include all of the
33	35		information that a person must include in an application to
34	36		register to vote under Section 13.002; [and]
35	37		(2) describe the requirements of Section 15.054,
36	38		provide a space for the voter to indicate if the voter is exempt
37	39		from those requirements, and provide a space to indicate the reason
38	40		for an exemption, if any;
39	41		(3) provide the definition of residence under Section
40	42		1.015; and
41	43		(4) be postage prepaid and preaddressed for delivery
42	44		to the registrar.
43	45		SECTION 4. Section 15.053(a), Election Code, is amended to
44	46		read as follows:
45	47		(a) Not later than the 30th day after the date a
46	48		confirmation notice is mailed, the voter shall submit to the
47	49		registrar a written, signed response to the notice that confirms
48	50		the voter's current residence. The response must contain:
49	51		(1) all of the information that a person must include
50	52		in an application to register to vote under Section 13.002;
51	53		(2) a sworn affirmation of the voter's current
52	54		residence as defined by Section 1.015; and
53	55		(3) if the voter's residence address is a commercial
54	56		post office box or similar location that does not correspond to a
55	57		residence, evidence of the voter's residence address as required by
56	58		Section 15.054 or an indication that the voter is exempt from those
57	59		requirements.
58	60		SECTION 5. Subchapter C, Chapter 15, Election Code, is
59	61		amended by adding Section 15.054 to read as follows:
60	62		Sec. 15.054. DOCUMENTATION OF RESIDENCE FOR PURPOSES OF
61	63		CONFIRMATION NOTICE RESPONSE. (a) For purposes of Section 15.053,
62	64		a voter's residence may be documented by providing a photocopy of
63	65		the first document, beginning with Subdivision (1) and continuing
64	66		through Subdivision (6), in the following list that corresponds to
65	67		the voter's residence under Section 1.015:
66	68		(1) a driver's license issued to the voter by the
67	69		Department of Public Safety that has not expired or, if the voter
68	70		has notified the department of a change of address under Section
69	71		521.054, Transportation Code, an affidavit from the voter stating
70	72		the new address contained in the notification;
71	73		(2) a personal identification card issued to the voter
72	74		by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired or, if the
73	75		voter has notified the department of a change of address under
74	76		Section 521.054, Transportation Code, an affidavit from the voter
75	77		stating the new address contained in the notification;
76	78		(3) a license to carry a concealed handgun issued to
77	79		the voter by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired
78	80		or, if the voter has notified the department of a change of address
79	81		under Section 411.181, Government Code, an affidavit from the voter
80	82		stating the new address contained in the notification;
81	83		(4) an appraisal district document showing the address
82	84		the voter claims as a homestead in this state;
83	85		(5) a utility bill addressed to the voter's residence
84	86		address; or
85	87		(6) an official tax document or Texas Department of
86	88		Motor Vehicles document showing the registration address of a
87	89		vehicle the voter owns.
88	90		(b) A voter whose residence in this state has no address may
89	91		document residence under this section by executing an affidavit
90	92		stating that the voter's residence in this state has no address,
91	93		providing a concise description of the location of the voter's
92	94		residence, and delivering the affidavit to the registrar with the
93	95		voter's response to the confirmation notice.
94	96		(c) The address described by Subsection (a)(4) may not be a
95	97		commercial post office box or similar location that does not
96	98		correspond to a residence.
97	99		(d) This section does not apply to:
98	100		(1) a voter who is a member of the armed forces of the
99	101		United States or the spouse or a dependent of a member;
100	102		(2) a voter enrolled as a full-time student who lives
101	103		on campus at an institution of higher education;
102	104		(3) a voter whose address is confidential under
103	105		Subchapter C, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure;
104	106		(4) a federal judge, state judge, or spouse of a
105	107		federal or state judge whose driver's license includes the street
106	108		address of a courthouse under Section 521.121, Transportation Code;
107	109		or
108	110		(5) a peace officer whose driver's license omits the
109	111		officer's actual residence address under Section 521.1211,
110	112		Transportation Code.
111	113		(e) Subsection (a)(1) does not apply to a voter who holds a
112	114		commercial driver's license under Subchapter C, Chapter 522,
113	115		Transportation Code.
114	116		(f) Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, a
115	117		voter enrolled as a full-time student who lives on campus at an
116	118		institution of higher education may use the address of a post office
117	119		box located on the campus of the institution or in a dormitory owned
118	120		or operated by the institution to confirm the voter's residence.
119	121		(g) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
120	122		implement this section.
121	123		SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
122		-	______________________________ ______________________________
123		-	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
124		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1111 passed the Senate on
125		-	April 28, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 18, Nays 13.
126		-	______________________________
127		-	Secretary of the Senate
128		-	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1111 passed the House on
129		-	May 25, 2021, by the following vote: Yeas 81, Nays 65, one
130		-	present not voting.
131		-	______________________________
132		-	Chief Clerk of the House
133		-	Approved:
134		-	______________________________
135		-	Date
136		-	______________________________
137		-	Governor