Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB212 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

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1	1	By: Bucy H.B. No. 212
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to electronic voter registration.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
9	9	amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
10	10	Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The
11	11	secretary of state shall work with the Department of Public Safety
12	12	and the Department of Information Resources to implement a program
13	13	to allow a person to complete a voter registration application over
14	14	the Internet from the official website of this state. The Internet
15	15	websites of the secretary of state and the Department of Public
16	16	Safety must also provide a link to the location of the application
17	17	on the official website of this state.
18	18	(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration who has
19	19	an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card
20	20	issued in this state must:
21	21	(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
22	22	the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
23	23	and
24	24	(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature
25	25	on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card
26	26	for voter registration purposes.
27	27	(c) An applicant for electronic voter registration who does
28	28	not have an unexpired driver's license or personal identification
29	29	card issued in this state must:
30	30	(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
31	31	the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
32	32	and
33	33	(2) print a registration application from the website
34	34	the applicant is using to register, sign the application, and mail
35	35	it to the registrar.
36	36	(d) For each application submitted under Subsection (b),
37	37	the program shall require that a digital copy of the applicant's
38	38	signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.
39	39	(e) For each application submitted under Subsection (c),
40	40	the program shall provide the applicant with:
41	41	(1) a registration application that the applicant can
42	42	print from the registration website, sign, and mail to the
43	43	registrar as required under Subsection (c)(2); and
44	44	(2) information about how the applicant can obtain a
45	45	driver's license or personal identification card from the
46	46	Department of Public Safety.
47	47	(f) An application submitted under this section is
48	48	considered for all purposes an application submitted by mail under
49	49	this title.
50	50	(g) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
51	51	implement this section, including rules to provide for additional
52	52	security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of
53	53	applications submitted electronically.
54	54	(h) The rules adopted under Subsection (g) must require
55	55	that:
56	56	(1) the Internet website through which a person may
57	57	complete a voter registration application include a description of
58	58	the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location
59	59	on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the
60	60	application; and
61	61	(2) the state electronic Internet portal project be
62	62	used to authenticate the identity and address of a person who
63	63	submits an application electronically under this section.
64	64	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
65	65	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
66	66	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
67	67	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
68	68	Act takes effect September 1, 2023.