By: Bucy H.B. No. 212
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 work with the Department of Public Safety
and the Department of Information Resources to implement a program
to allow a person to complete a voter registration application over
the Internet from the official website of this state. The Internet
websites of the secretary of state and the Department of Public
Safety must also provide a link to the location of the application
on the official website of this state.
(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration who has
an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card
issued in this state must:
(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
and
(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature
on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card
for voter registration purposes.
(c) An applicant for electronic voter registration who does
not have an unexpired driver's license or personal identification
card issued in this state must:
(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
and
(2) print a registration application from the website
the applicant is using to register, sign the application, and mail
it to the registrar.
(d) For each application submitted under Subsection (b),
the program shall require that a digital copy of the applicant's
signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.
(e) For each application submitted under Subsection (c),
the program shall provide the applicant with:
(1) a registration application that the applicant can
print from the registration website, sign, and mail to the
registrar as required under Subsection (c)(2); and
(2) information about how the applicant can obtain a
driver's license or personal identification card from the
Department of Public Safety.
(f) An application submitted under this section is
considered for all purposes an application submitted by mail under
this title.
(g) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
implement this section, including rules to provide for additional
security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of
applications submitted electronically.
(h) The rules adopted under Subsection (g) must require
that:
(1) the Internet website through which a person may
complete a voter registration application include a description of
the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location
on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the
application; and
(2) the state electronic Internet portal project be
used to authenticate the identity and address of a person who
submits an application electronically under this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2023.