| 1 | 1 | | By: Bettencourt, et al. S.B. No. 1938 |
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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 the failure of a voter registrar to comply with voter |
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| 7 | 7 | | registration laws. |
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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 16.039, Election Code, is transferred to |
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| 10 | 10 | | Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, redesignated as Section |
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| 11 | 11 | | 12.007, Election Code, and amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 12.007 [16.039]. FAILURE BY REGISTRAR TO TIMELY |
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| 13 | 13 | | PERFORM DUTY. (a) The secretary of state may withhold funds |
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| 14 | 14 | | administered and distributed by the secretary under Chapter 19 or |
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| 15 | 15 | | Section 31.009 from a registrar if the [If a] registrar fails to |
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| 16 | 16 | | timely perform a duty imposed on the registrar under this code |
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| 17 | 17 | | [subchapter] requiring: |
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| 18 | 18 | | (1) the approval, change, or cancellation of a voter's |
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| 19 | 19 | | registration; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (2) the scheduling of a hearing under Section 16.064 |
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| 21 | 21 | | or 16.093; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (3) the determination of a challenge under Section |
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| 23 | 23 | | 16.066 or 16.095; or |
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| 24 | 24 | | (4) the delivery of notice under Section 16.0921[, the |
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| 25 | 25 | | secretary of state may withhold funds administered and distributed |
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| 26 | 26 | | by the secretary under Chapter 19 or Section 31.009 from the |
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| 27 | 27 | | registrar]. |
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| 28 | 28 | | (b) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), the secretary of state |
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| 29 | 29 | | shall distribute funds under Chapter 19 or Section 31.009 if the |
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| 30 | 30 | | registrar performs the registrar's duty not later than 30 days |
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| 31 | 31 | | after the funds are withheld. |
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| 32 | 32 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
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