Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2810 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R10032 TSS-D
2	2	By: Jetton H.B. No. 2810
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the form, content, and delivery of a voter registration
8	8	certificate.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 13.144(b), Election Code, is amended to
11	11	read as follows:
12	12	(b) If delivery is by mail, the registrar shall:
13	13	(1) send the certificate by first class mail in a
14	14	carrier envelope addressed to the mailing address on the
15	15	applicant's registration application; and
16	16	(2) include with the certificate a return envelope,
17	17	properly addressed with postage paid.
18	18	SECTION 2. Sections 14.002(a) and (b), Election Code, are
19	19	amended to read as follows:
20	20	(a) Except as provided by Subsection (d), the registrar
21	21	shall:
22	22	(1) deliver a voter's renewal certificate by first
23	23	class mail in a carrier envelope addressed to the mailing address on
24	24	the voter's registration application; and
25	25	(2) include with the certificate a return envelope,
26	26	properly addressed with postage paid.
27	27	(b) The [certificate, if mailed without an envelope, or the]
28	28	envelope containing the certificate must contain an instruction to
29	29	the postal authorities not to forward it to any other address and to
30	30	return it to the registrar if the addressee is no longer at the
31	31	address to which the certificate was mailed.
32	32	SECTION 3. The heading to Section 15.001, Election Code, is
33	33	amended to read as follows:
34	34	Sec. 15.001. REQUIRED FORM AND CONTENTS.
35	35	SECTION 4. Section 15.001, Election Code, is amended by
36	36	amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as
37	37	follows:
38	38	(a) Each voter registration certificate issued must
39	39	contain:
40	40	(1) the voter's name in the form indicated by the
41	41	voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section
42	42	13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state;
43	43	(2) the voter's residence address or, if the residence
44	44	has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a
45	45	concise description of the location of the voter's residence;
46	46	(3) the year of the voter's birth;
47	47	(4) the number of the county election precinct in
48	48	which the voter resides;
49	49	(5) the voter's effective date of registration if an
50	50	initial certificate;
51	51	(6) the voter's registration number;
52	52	(7) an indication of the period for which the
53	53	certificate is issued;
54	54	(8) a statement explaining the circumstances under
55	55	which the voter will receive a new certificate;
56	56	(9) a space for stamping the voter's political party
57	57	affiliation;
58	58	(10) a statement that voting with the certificate by a
59	59	person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued
60	60	is a felony;
61	61	(11) a space for the voter's signature;
62	62	(12) a statement that the voter must sign the
63	63	certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt;
64	64	(13) a space for the voter to correct the information
65	65	on the certificate and a printed box for a person to check to
66	66	indicate that the voter is deceased followed by a signature line;
67	67	(14) in all capital letters, the statement: "IF ANY
68	68	INFORMATION ON THIS CERTIFICATE CHANGES OR IS INCORRECT, INCLUDING
69	69	THE ADDRESS OF THE VOTER, CORRECT THE INFORMATION IN THE SPACE
70	70	PROVIDED, SIGN BELOW, AND RETURN THIS CERTIFICATE TO THE VOTER
71	71	REGISTRAR. IF THE VOTER HAS DIED, CHECK THE BOX INDICATING THE VOTER
72	72	IS DECEASED, SIGN BELOW, AND RETURN THIS CERTIFICATE TO THE
73	73	REGISTRAR [If any information on this certificate changes or is
74	74	incorrect, correct the information in the space provided, sign
75	75	below, and return this certificate to the voter registrar].";
76	76	(15) the registrar's mailing address and telephone
77	77	number; and
78	78	(16) the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for
79	79	the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as
80	80	determined by the voter registrar:
81	81	(A) congressional district;
82	82	(B) state senatorial district;
83	83	(C) state representative district;
84	84	(D) commissioners precinct;
85	85	(E) justice precinct;
86	86	(F) city election precinct; and
87	87	(G) school district election precinct.
88	88	(a-1) Each voter registration certificate issued shall
89	89	measure at least 5 by 8-1/2 inches in size.
90	90	SECTION 5. Section 16.031(b), Election Code, is amended to
91	91	read as follows:
92	92	(b) The registrar shall cancel a voter's registration
93	93	immediately if the registrar:
94	94	(1) determines [from information received under
95	95	Section 16.001(c)] that the voter is deceased from information
96	96	received:
97	97	(A) under Section 16.001(c); or
98	98	(B) on a voter registration certificate returned
99	99	to the registrar with the printed box checked indicating the voter
100	100	has died;
101	101	(2) has personal knowledge that the voter is deceased;
102	102	(3) receives from a person related within the second
103	103	degree by consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter
104	104	573, Government Code, to the voter a sworn statement by that person
105	105	indicating that the voter is deceased; or
106	106	(4) receives notice from the secretary of state under
107	107	Section 18.068 that the voter is deceased.
108	108	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.