| 1 | 1 | | 89R2278 PRL-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Cain H.B. No. 892 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to requiring a person to submit proof of citizenship to |
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| 10 | 10 | | register to vote. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 13.002, Election Code, is amended by |
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| 13 | 13 | | amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to read as |
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| 14 | 14 | | follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a) A person desiring to register to vote must submit an |
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| 16 | 16 | | application and proof of citizenship as required under Subsection |
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| 17 | 17 | | (a-1) to the registrar of the county in which the person resides. |
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| 18 | 18 | | Except as provided by Subsection (e), an application must be |
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| 19 | 19 | | submitted by personal delivery, by mail, or by telephonic facsimile |
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| 20 | 20 | | machine in accordance with Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2). |
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| 21 | 21 | | (a-1) A person desiring to register to vote shall submit to |
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| 22 | 22 | | the registrar a copy of one of the following documents: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) a United States passport or passport card issued |
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| 24 | 24 | | to the person; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2) a certified copy of a birth certificate issued by a |
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| 26 | 26 | | United States state or territory, or the District of Columbia; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (3) United States citizenship papers issued to the |
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| 28 | 28 | | person; |
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| 29 | 29 | | (4) identification issued by the agency of the United |
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| 30 | 30 | | States responsible for citizenship and immigration; or |
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| 31 | 31 | | (5) for citizens born abroad, a certificate of report |
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| 32 | 32 | | of birth or consular report of birth abroad issued by the United |
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| 33 | 33 | | States Department of State. |
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| 34 | 34 | | SECTION 2. Section 13.039(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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| 35 | 35 | | read as follows: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (a) On receipt of a registration application, a volunteer |
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| 37 | 37 | | deputy registrar shall review it for completeness in the |
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| 38 | 38 | | applicant's presence and verify the applicant's citizenship using |
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| 39 | 39 | | the proof of citizenship required by Section 13.002(a-1). |
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| 40 | 40 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026, but only |
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| 41 | 41 | | if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 89th Legislature, |
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| 42 | 42 | | Regular Session, 2025, to require a person to submit proof of |
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| 43 | 43 | | citizenship to register to vote is approved by the voters. If that |
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| 44 | 44 | | amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no effect. |
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