Texas 2023 - 88th 3rd C.S.

Texas House Bill HB36 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Bucy H.B. No. 36
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to electronic voter registration.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
9	9	amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
10	10	Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The
11	11	secretary of state shall work with the Department of Public Safety
12	12	and the Department of Information Resources to implement a program
13	13	to allow a person to complete a voter registration application over
14	14	the Internet from the official website of this state. The Internet
15	15	websites of the secretary of state and the Department of Public
16	16	Safety must also provide a link to the location of the application
17	17	on the official website of this state.
18	18	(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration who has
19	19	an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card
20	20	issued in this state must:
21	21	(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
22	22	the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
23	23	and
24	24	(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature
25	25	on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card
26	26	for voter registration purposes.
27	27	(c) An applicant for electronic voter registration who does
28	28	not have an unexpired driver's license or personal identification
29	29	card issued in this state must:
30	30	(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
31	31	the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
32	32	and
33	33	(2) digitally sign the applicant's application before
34	34	submitting it electronically.
35	35	(d) For each application submitted under Subsection (b),
36	36	the program shall require that a digital copy of the applicant's
37	37	signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.
38	38	(e) A digital signature given as provided by secretary of
39	39	state rule meets the signature requirement under Section 13.002(b).
40	40	An application submitted under this section is considered for all
41	41	purposes an application submitted by mail under this title.
42	42	(f) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
43	43	implement this section, including rules to provide for additional
44	44	security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of
45	45	applications submitted electronically.
46	46	(g) The rules adopted under Subsection (f) must require
47	47	that:
48	48	(1) the Internet website through which a person may
49	49	complete a voter registration application include a description of
50	50	the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location
51	51	on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the
52	52	application; and
53	53	(2) the state electronic Internet portal project be
54	54	used to authenticate the identity and address of a person who
55	55	submits an application electronically under this section.
56	56	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
57	57	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
58	58	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
59	59	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
60	60	Act takes effect on the 91st day after the last day of the
61	61	legislative session.