| 1 | 1 | | 88R1216 MLH-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Bucy H.B. No. 675 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to electronic voter registration. |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows: |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | secretary of state shall work with the Department of Public Safety |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | and the Department of Information Resources to implement a program |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | to allow a person to complete a voter registration application over |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | the Internet from the official website of this state. The Internet |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | websites of the secretary of state and the Department of Public |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Safety must also provide a link to the location of the application |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | on the official website of this state. |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (b) An applicant for electronic voter registration who has |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | issued in this state must: |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (1) attest to the truth of the information provided on |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true; |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | and |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | for voter registration purposes. |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | (c) An applicant for electronic voter registration who does |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | not have an unexpired driver's license or personal identification |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | card issued in this state must: |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (1) attest to the truth of the information provided on |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true; |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | and |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | (2) digitally sign the applicant's application before |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | submitting it electronically. |
|---|
| 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) A digital signature given as provided by secretary of |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | state rule meets the signature requirement under Section 13.002(b). |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | An application submitted under this section is considered for all |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | purposes an application submitted by mail under this title. |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (f) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | implement this section, including rules to provide for additional |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | applications submitted electronically. |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | (g) The rules adopted under Subsection (f) must require |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | that: |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | (1) the Internet website through which a person may |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | complete a voter registration application include a description of |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | application; and |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | (2) the state electronic Internet portal project be |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | used to authenticate the identity and address of a person who |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | submits an application electronically under this section. |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|