Texas 2021 - 87th 3rd C.S.

Texas House Bill HB45 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Reynolds H.B. No. 45
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to automatic voter registration on issuance or change of a
7	7	driver's license or identification card by the Department of Public
8	8	Safety.
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. VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF
13	13	PUBLIC SAFETY. (a) The voter registrar of each county shall
14	14	automatically register any county resident who is eligible to vote
15	15	as provided by Section 13.001 and:
16	16	(1) is issued a Texas driver's license or a personal
17	17	identification card by the Department of Public Safety; or
18	18	(2) makes a change to a Texas driver's license or
19	19	personal identification card issued by the Department of Public
20	20	Safety.
21	21	(b) A driver's license or personal identification card
22	22	transaction with an indication provided by Section 20.062(b) or
23	23	20.063(c) that the transaction is not for voter registration
24	24	purposes is not subject to this section.
25	25	SECTION 2. Section 20.061, Election Code, is amended to
26	26	read as follows:
27	27	Sec. 20.061. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other
28	28	provisions of this chapter apply to the Department of Public Safety
29	29	except provisions that conflict with this subchapter or Section
30	30	13.009.
31	31	SECTION 3. Section 20.062(b), Election Code, is amended to
32	32	read as follows:
33	33	(b) The department shall prescribe and use a change of
34	34	address form and procedure that combines department and voter
35	35	registration functions. The form must allow a licensee or
36	36	cardholder to indicate that [whether] the change of address is not
37	37	[also to be used] for voter registration purposes.
38	38	SECTION 4. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended to
39	39	read as follows:
40	40	Sec. 20.063. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) The Department
41	41	of Public Safety shall consider an application made in person, by
42	42	mail, or online at the department's Internet website [provide to
43	43	each person who applies in person at the department's offices] for
44	44	an original or renewal of a driver's license, a personal
45	45	identification card, or a duplicate or corrected license or card by
46	46	a person who is eligible to vote as provided by Section 13.001 an
47	47	application for [opportunity to complete a] voter registration.
48	48	The date of application is considered to be the date of submission
49	49	to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective
50	50	date of registration [application form].
51	51	(b) The Department of Public Safety shall consider a change
52	52	of address that relates to [When the department processes] a
53	53	license or card and that is submitted to [for renewal by mail,] the
54	54	department [shall deliver to the applicant by mail a voter
55	55	registration application form.
56	56	[(c) A change of address that relates to a license or card
57	57	and that is submitted to the department] in person, [or] by mail, or
58	58	online at the department's Internet website [serves] as a change in
59	59	[of address for] voter registration [unless the licensee or
60	60	cardholder indicates that the change is not for voter registration
61	61	purposes]. The date of submission of a change of address to a
62	62	department employee is considered to be the date of submission to
63	63	the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective
64	64	date of registration [only].
65	65	(c) The registration of an eligible [(d) If a completed]
66	66	voter as required by Subsections (a) and (b) is automatic unless the
67	67	person indicates that the transaction is not for voter
68	68	registration purposes [application submitted to a department
69	69	employee does not include the applicant's correct driver's license
70	70	number or personal identification card number, a department
71	71	employee shall enter the appropriate information on the
72	72	application. If a completed application does not include the
73	73	applicant's correct residence address or mailing address, a
74	74	department employee shall obtain the appropriate information from
75	75	the applicant and enter the information on the application].
76	76	SECTION 5. Section 20.065(b), Election Code, is amended to
77	77	read as follows:
78	78	(b) Each weekday the department is regularly open for
79	79	business, the department shall electronically transfer to the
80	80	secretary of state the name and information designated by the
81	81	secretary of state for [of each person who completes a] voter
82	82	registration for each individual who is eligible to vote as
83	83	provided by Section 13.001 and applies in person, by mail, or online
84	84	at the department's Internet website for an original or renewal of a
85	85	driver's license, a personal identification card, or a duplicate or
86	86	corrected license or card [application submitted to the
87	87	department]. The secretary shall prescribe procedures necessary to
88	88	implement this subsection.
89	89	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the
90	90	last day of the legislative session.