By: Reynolds H.B. No. 45
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to electronic voter registration.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The
secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person with
an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card
issued in this state to complete a voter registration application
over the Internet from a secure Internet website.
(b) The Internet website established under this section
must allow a person to submit:
(1) an initial application for registration; and
(2) an application to update a voter registration
record.
(c) When a person submits an application under this section,
the secretary of state shall compare the information provided by
the applicant against the Department of Public Safety records.
(d) The completed online application and information from
the Department of Public Safety, including the applicant's digital
signature, shall be provided to:
(1) the county voter registration office for the
county where the applicant currently resides; and
(2) the secretary of state for the statewide
computerized voter registration list under Section 18.061.
(e) An application electronically submitted under this
section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted
by mail under this title. A digital signature given as provided by
secretary of state rule meets the signature requirement under
Section 13.002(b).
(f) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
last day of the legislative session.