Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB258 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R2208 MPF-D
2	2	By: Alvarado, et al. S.B. No. 258
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to electronic voter registration.
10	10	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
11	11	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
12	12	amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
13	13	Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The
14	14	secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person who
15	15	has an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card
16	16	issued in this state to complete a voter registration application
17	17	over the Internet from the official website of this state. The
18	18	websites of the secretary of state and the Department of Public
19	19	Safety must also provide a link to the location of the application
20	20	on the official website of this state.
21	21	(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration must:
22	22	(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on
23	23	the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;
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	(3) provide the information required under Section
28	28	13.002(c); and
29	29	(4) provide the audit number and date of issuance of
30	30	the applicant's Texas driver's license or personal identification
31	31	card issued by the Department of Public Safety.
32	32	(c) For each application the program shall:
33	33	(1) require that a digital copy of the applicant's
34	34	signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety; and
35	35	(2) compare the information provided by the applicant
36	36	against Department of Public Safety records.
37	37	(d) If the information submitted by an applicant does not
38	38	match Department of Public Safety records, the program shall:
39	39	(1) notify the applicant that the application cannot
40	40	be processed electronically; and
41	41	(2) advise the applicant to print an application and
42	42	submit it to the voter registrar of the county in which the
43	43	applicant resides by mail or personal delivery.
44	44	(e) If the information submitted by an applicant matches
45	45	Department of Public Safety records, the program shall forward the
46	46	application to the registrar of the county in which the applicant
47	47	states that the applicant resides.
48	48	(f) On receipt of an application under Subsection (e), the
49	49	registrar shall review the application in accordance with Section
50	50	13.071.
51	51	(g) An application electronically submitted under this
52	52	section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted
53	53	by mail under this title.
54	54	(h) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
55	55	implement this section, including rules to provide for additional
56	56	security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of
57	57	applications submitted electronically.
58	58	(i) The rules adopted under Subsection (h) must require
59	59	that:
60	60	(1) the Internet website through which a person may
61	61	complete a voter registration application include a description of
62	62	the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location
63	63	on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the
64	64	application; and
65	65	(2) the state electronic Internet portal project be
66	66	used to authenticate the identity of a person who submits an
67	67	application electronically under this section.
68	68	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.