| 1 | 1 | | By: Hughes, Hall, Kolkhorst S.B. No. 1600 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to a person submitting proof of citizenship to verify |
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| 7 | 7 | | eligibility to vote in Texas. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Section 13.002, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 10 | 10 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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| 11 | 11 | | follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (a) A person desiring to register to vote must submit an |
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| 13 | 13 | | application and proof of citizenship as required under Subsection |
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| 14 | 14 | | (a-1) to the registrar of the county in which the person |
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| 15 | 15 | | resides. Except as provided by Subsection (e), an application must |
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| 16 | 16 | | be submitted by personal delivery, by mail, or by telephonic |
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| 17 | 17 | | facsimile machine in accordance with Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2). |
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| 18 | 18 | | (a-1) To the extent permitted by the National Voter |
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| 19 | 19 | | Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. Section 20501 et seq.) and |
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| 20 | 20 | | Arizona v. Inter Tribal Council Of Arizona, Inc., 570 U.S. 1 (2013), |
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| 21 | 21 | | the secretary of state shall prescribe rules that require a person |
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| 22 | 22 | | to submit to the registrar proof of citizenship to determine voter |
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| 23 | 23 | | eligibility. |
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| 24 | 24 | | SECTION 2. (a) Not later than January 1, 2024, the |
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| 25 | 25 | | secretary of state shall request that the federal Election |
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| 26 | 26 | | Assistance Commission alter the mail voter registration |
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| 27 | 27 | | application form requirements described in the National Voter |
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| 28 | 28 | | Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. Section 20501 et seq.) to |
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| 29 | 29 | | include a requirement that applicants submit documented proof of |
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| 30 | 30 | | citizenship as a condition to registration in Texas. |
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| 31 | 31 | | (b) If the commission fails to comply before the 180th day |
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| 32 | 32 | | following the secretary of state's request under this section, the |
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| 33 | 33 | | attorney general shall seek enforcement in a court of law. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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