88R2973 LRM-D
By: Dutton H.B. No. 943
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to voter registration, including electronic voter
registration.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 12.006(f), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(f) A regular deputy registrar may not assist in the
registration of voters until the deputy registrar has completed
training developed under Section 12.007 [13.047]. At the time of
appointment, the voter registrar shall provide information about
the times and places at which training is offered.
SECTION 2. 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 implement a program to allow a person who
has a valid state-issued driver's license or personal
identification card to complete a voter registration application
over the Internet from an official state website. The secretary of
state may develop an Internet website for this purpose.
(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration must:
(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature
on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card
for voter registration purposes;
(3) provide the information required under Section
13.002(c); and
(4) provide the audit number and date of issuance of
the applicant's Texas driver's license or personal identification
card issued by the Department of Public Safety.
(c) When a person submits an application under this section,
the secretary of state shall compare the information provided by
the applicant against Department of Public Safety records. If any
information submitted by an applicant does not match Department of
Public Safety records, the secretary shall reject the application.
(d) When a person submits an application under this section,
the Internet Protocol address of the device used to submit the
application shall be recorded and included with the applicant's
application file under Section 13.101 or 13.102, as appropriate.
(e) The completed online application and information from
the Department of Public Safety, including all copies of the
applicant's digital signature on record, shall be provided to:
(1) the voter registrar for the county where the
applicant currently resides; and
(2) the secretary of state for the statewide
computerized voter registration list under Section 18.061.
(f) An application submitted electronically under this
section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted
by mail under this title.
(g) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
implement this section.
SECTION 3. Section 13.047, Election Code, is transferred to
Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, and redesignated as
Section 12.007, Election Code, to read as follows:
Sec. 12.007 [13.047]. TRAINING STANDARDS FOR DEPUTY
REGISTRARS. (a) The secretary of state shall:
(1) adopt standards of training in election law
relating to the registration of voters;
(2) develop materials for a standardized curriculum
for that training; and
(3) distribute the materials as necessary to each
county voter registrar.
(b) The training standards may include the passage of an
examination at the end of a training program.
SECTION 4. Section 20.037(c), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) An application form delivered by mail must be
accompanied by a notice informing the applicant that the
application may be submitted in person or by mail to the voter
registrar of the county in which the applicant resides [or in person
to a volunteer deputy registrar for delivery to the voter registrar
of the county in which the applicant resides].
SECTION 5. Section 20.122(c), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(c) The application forms must be accompanied by a notice
informing the licensees that the applications may be submitted in
person or by mail to the voter registrar of the county in which they
reside [or in person to a volunteer deputy registrar for delivery to
the voter registrar of the county in which they reside].
SECTION 6. Section 31.040(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The commissioners court or the administrator may
require any or all of the administrator's deputies[, other than
unpaid volunteer deputy registrars,] to give a bond similar to that
required of the administrator in an amount not exceeding the amount
of the administrator's bond.
SECTION 7. Section 31.161(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) The joint elections commission or the joint elections
administrator may require any or all of the administrator's
deputies[, other than unpaid volunteer deputy registrars,] to give
a bond similar to that required of the administrator in an amount
not exceeding the amount of the administrator's bond.
SECTION 8. The following provisions of the Election Code
are repealed:
(1) the heading to Subchapter B, Chapter 13; and
(2) Sections 13.031, 13.032, 13.033, 13.034, 13.035,
13.036, 13.037, 13.038, 13.039, 13.040, 13.041, 13.042, 13.043,
13.044, 13.045, 13.046, and 13.048.
SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.