Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB2494 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R13835 LRM-D
2	2	By: Creighton S.B. No. 2494
3	3
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the acceptance of a voter.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Sections 63.001(b), (d), and (e), Election Code,
12	12	are amended to read as follows:
13	13	(b) Except as provided by Subsection (h), on offering to
14	14	vote, a voter must present to an election officer at the polling
15	15	place[:
16	16	[(1)] one form of photo identification listed in
17	17	Section 63.0101(a)[; or
18	18	[(2) one form of identification listed in Section
19	19	63.0101(b) accompanied by the declaration described by Subsection
20	20	(i)].
21	21	(d) If, as determined under Subsection (c), the voter's name
22	22	is on the precinct list of registered voters and the voter's
23	23	identity can be verified from the documentation presented under
24	24	Subsection (b), the voter shall be accepted for voting. [An
25	25	election officer may not question the reasonableness of an
26	26	impediment sworn to by a voter in a declaration described by
27	27	Subsection (i).]
28	28	(e) On accepting a voter, an election officer shall indicate
29	29	beside the voter's name on the list of registered voters that the
30	30	voter is accepted for voting. [If the voter executes a declaration
31	31	of reasonable impediment to meet the requirement for identification
32	32	under Subsection (b), the election officer must affix the voter's
33	33	voter registration number to the declaration either in numeric or
34	34	bar code form.]
35	35	SECTION 2. Section 63.004(a), Election Code, is amended to
36	36	read as follows:
37	37	(a) The secretary of state may prescribe forms that combine
38	38	the poll list, the signature roster, or any other form used in
39	39	connection with the acceptance of voters at polling places with
40	40	each other or with the list of registered voters. The secretary
41	41	shall prescribe any special instructions necessary for using the
42	42	combination forms. [The combination forms must include space for
43	43	an election officer to indicate whether a voter executed a
44	44	declaration of reasonable impediment under Section 63.001(i).]
45	45	SECTION 3. Section 272.011(b), Election Code, is amended to
46	46	read as follows:
47	47	(b) The secretary of state shall prepare the translation for
48	48	election materials required to be provided in a language other than
49	49	English or Spanish for the following state prescribed voter forms:
50	50	(1) voter registration application form required by
51	51	Section 13.002;
52	52	(2) the confirmation form required by Section 15.051;
53	53	(3) the voting instruction poster required by Section
54	54	62.011;
55	55	(4) [the reasonable impediment declaration required
56	56	by Section 63.001(b);
57	57	[(5)] the statement of residence form required by
58	58	Section 63.0011;
59	59	(5) [(6)] the provisional ballot affidavit required
60	60	by Section 63.011;
61	61	(6) [(7)] the application for a ballot by mail
62	62	required by Section 84.011;
63	63	(7) [(8)] the carrier envelope and voting
64	64	instructions required by Section 86.013; and
65	65	(8) [(9)] any other voter forms that the secretary of
66	66	state identifies as frequently used and for which state resources
67	67	are otherwise available.
68	68	SECTION 4. The following provisions are repealed:
69	69	(1) Section 63.001(i), Election Code;
70	70	(2) Section 63.0013, Election Code; and
71	71	(3) Section 63.0101(b), Election Code.
72	72	SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply to an
73	73	election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.
74	74	SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.