Texas 2021 - 87th 2nd C.S.

Texas Senate Bill SB45 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87S20262 SMT-D
2	2	By: Alvarado, et al. S.B. No. 45
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to electronic voter registration and electronic
8	8	submission of an application for an early voting ballot by mail.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
11	11	amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The
13	13	secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person to
14	14	complete a voter registration application over the Internet from
15	15	the official website of this state. The websites of the secretary
16	16	of state and the Department of Public Safety must also provide a
17	17	link to the location of the application on the official website of
18	18	this state.
19	19	(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration who has a
20	20	driver's license or personal identification card issued in this
21	21	state, regardless of whether the license or card is unexpired,
22	22	must:
23	23	(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
24	24	the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
25	25	and
26	26	(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature
27	27	on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card
28	28	for voter registration purposes.
29	29	(c) An applicant for electronic voter registration who does
30	30	not have a driver's license or personal identification card issued
31	31	in this state must:
32	32	(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
33	33	the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
34	34	and
35	35	(2) print a registration application from the website
36	36	the applicant is using to register, sign the application, and mail
37	37	it to the registrar.
38	38	(d) For each application submitted under Subsection (b),
39	39	the program must require that a digital copy of the applicant's
40	40	signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.
41	41	(e) For each application submitted under Subsection (c),
42	42	the program must provide the applicant with:
43	43	(1) a registration application that the applicant can
44	44	print from the registration website, sign, and mail to the
45	45	registrar as required under Subsection (c)(2); and
46	46	(2) information about how the applicant can obtain a
47	47	driver's license or personal identification card from the
48	48	Department of Public Safety.
49	49	(f) An application submitted under this section is
50	50	considered for all purposes an application submitted by mail under
51	51	this title.
52	52	(g) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
53	53	implement this section, including rules to provide for additional
54	54	security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of
55	55	applications submitted electronically.
56	56	(h) The rules adopted under Subsection (g) must require
57	57	that:
58	58	(1) the Internet website through which a person may
59	59	complete a voter registration application include a description of
60	60	the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location
61	61	on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the
62	62	application; and
63	63	(2) the state electronic Internet portal project be
64	64	used to authenticate the identity of a person who submits an
65	65	application electronically under this section.
66	66	SECTION 2. Sections 84.001(b) and (d), Election Code, are
67	67	amended to read as follows:
68	68	(b) An application must be in writing and signed by the
69	69	applicant. Except as provided by Section 84.0091, an [An]
70	70	electronic signature is not permitted.
71	71	(d) An application must be submitted [by mail] to the early
72	72	voting clerk for the election who serves the election precinct of
73	73	the applicant's residence.
74	74	SECTION 3. Section 84.007(a), Election Code, is amended to
75	75	read as follows:
76	76	(a) Except as provided by Sections 84.008, [and] 84.009, and
77	77	84.0091, an application for a ballot to be voted by mail must be
78	78	submitted as provided by this section.
79	79	SECTION 4. Subchapter A, Chapter 84, Election Code, is
80	80	amended by adding Section 84.0091 to read as follows:
81	81	Sec. 84.0091. SUBMITTING APPLICATION FOR BALLOT VOTED BY
82	82	MAIL: ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION. The secretary of state shall
83	83	implement a program to allow a person to complete an application for
84	84	an early voting ballot by mail over the Internet from the official
85	85	website of this state. The program must:
86	86	(1) permit an applicant to electronically sign the
87	87	application;
88	88	(2) deliver a completed application to the early
89	89	voting clerk for the election who serves the election precinct of
90	90	the applicant's residence; and
91	91	(3) permit an applicant to check the status of the
92	92	applicant's application.
93	93	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
94	94	last day of the legislative session.