Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2256 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R26522 MLH-F
2	2	By: Hughes S.B. No. 2256
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to federal election practices and procedures.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. Section 31.007, Election Code, is amended to
10	10	read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 31.007. SUSPENSION OF PROVISIONS IMPLEMENTING FEDERAL
12	12	LAW [NATIONAL VOTER REGISTRATION ACT]. (a) If under federal law,
13	13	order, regulation, or other official action any provision of
14	14	federal law regarding the registration of voters or conduct of
15	15	elections, including the National Voter Registration Act of 1993 or
16	16	its successors, is not required to be implemented or enforced in
17	17	whole or in part, an affected state law or rule is suspended to the
18	18	extent that the law or rule was enacted or adopted to implement that
19	19	law [Act], and it is the intent of the legislature that the
20	20	applicable law in effect immediately before the enactment or
21	21	adoption be reinstated and continued in effect pending enactment of
22	22	corrective state legislation.
23	23	(b) On a finding by the secretary of state that a suspension
24	24	of a law or rule has occurred under Subsection (a), the secretary
25	25	may modify applicable procedures as necessary to give effect to the
26	26	suspension and to reinstatement of the procedures of the former
27	27	law.
28	28	(c) The secretary of state may adopt rules to implement this
29	29	section as necessary.
30	30	SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
31	31	amended by adding Section 31.0075 to read as follows:
32	32	Sec. 31.0075. TEMPORARY MEASURES TO IMPLEMENT FEDERAL LAW.
33	33	(a) Pending enactment of conforming state legislation, the
34	34	secretary of state shall by rule, after consulting with the chair
35	35	and vice chair of the standing committees of the senate and house of
36	36	representatives having jurisdiction over elections, adopt
37	37	procedures to conform with federal laws enacted regarding federal
38	38	elections in a manner that does not substantively modify the
39	39	procedures for voter registration for or conduct of elections
40	40	provided in this code, other than federal elections, except as
41	41	provided by this section.
42	42	(b) In compliance with Subsection (a), to the extent federal
43	43	law modifies the requirements or procedures provided in this code
44	44	for voter registration in federal elections, the secretary of state
45	45	shall by rule establish and maintain a federal election voter
46	46	registration system in compliance with federal law. Any person
47	47	registered under this system may not be eligible to vote in any
48	48	election other than a federal election unless that person is
49	49	qualified and registered to vote under Title 2. Any person seeking
50	50	to register to vote under the federal election voter registration
51	51	system established under this subsection shall be notified upon
52	52	registering to vote under this system that registration to vote in
53	53	federal elections does not qualify a person to vote in any other
54	54	election conducted in this state unless that person registers to
55	55	vote as provided by Title 2. All persons registered to vote as
56	56	provided by Title 2 shall be automatically registered to vote under
57	57	the federal election voter registration system established under
58	58	this subsection. Any voter registration certificate issued or list
59	59	of registered voters produced under the federal election voter
60	60	registration system established under this subsection shall be
61	61	clearly marked "Valid for federal elections only."
62	62	(c) In compliance with Subsection (a), to the extent federal
63	63	law modifies the conduct of elections for federal office in a manner
64	64	that substantively conflicts with any provision of this code,
65	65	notwithstanding any other provision of this code, the secretary of
66	66	state shall by rule modify the uniform election dates and other
67	67	associated dates and deadlines provided in this code so that no
68	68	election other than an election for federal office is held on the
69	69	same date as any special election for a member of Congress, a
70	70	federal primary, a federal primary runoff, or a general election
71	71	for federal office.
72	72	SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
73	73	an application to register to vote submitted on or after the
74	74	effective date of this Act.
75	75	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.