| 1 | 1 | | 88R13402 PRL-F |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Morales of Maverick H.B. No. 4781 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to promoting voter registration and voting participation |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | in rural counties. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 18, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Subchapter D to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SUBCHAPTER D. RURAL VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 18.081. APPLICATION. This subchapter applies only to |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | a voter registrar in a county with a population of 250,000 or less |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | according to the most recent decennial census. |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Sec. 18.082. RURAL VOTER REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION. |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | (a) Notwithstanding Section 19.004, each voter registrar may use |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | state funds disbursed under this subchapter or Chapter 19 to |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | promote voter registration or voting participation in a county. |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (b) A voter registrar may promote: |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | (1) voter registration, by identifying persons |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | eligible for registration and encouraging the identified persons to |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | register to vote; and |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (2) voting participation, by encouraging registered |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | voters to vote and providing to registered voters: |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | (A) election information, including voting dates |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | and polling place locations; and |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (B) transportation to and from polling place |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | locations during the voting period. |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (c) A voter registrar that promotes voter registration or |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | voting participation under Subsection (b)(1) or (2) may not: |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (1) promote any particular party, candidate, or group |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | of candidates; or |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (2) target the voter registrar's efforts toward |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | individuals on the basis of race, ethnicity, or sex. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | (d) A voter registrar may contract with a nonprofit |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | organization to carry out the promotion of voter registration or |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | voting participation permitted under this section. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | Sec. 18.083. FUNDING. A voter registrar may use any |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | available revenue, including legislative appropriations, and may |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | solicit and accept gifts, grants, and donations from a public or |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | private source for the purposes of this subchapter. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|