89R17277 AB-F
By: Cook S.B. No. 2738
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to high school deputy voter registrars.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 13.046, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsections (d-1), (e-1), (e-2),
and (e-3) to read as follows:
(d) At least twice each school year, a high school deputy
registrar shall distribute an officially prescribed registration
application form to each student in the 12th grade or who is or will
be 18 years of age or older during that year, subject to rules
prescribed by the secretary of state, by hand delivery or by
inclusion in standard school material packets.
(d-1) Each public or private high school shall:
(1) provide access to registration application forms
in the school office or another public area within the school; and
(2) verbally or virtually notify students at the
beginning of the school year of the form's availability and
location.
(e-1) Each high school deputy registrar shall not later than
August 31 of each year submit to the secretary of state a report for
the preceding school year. The report must include:
(1) the total number of registration application forms
distributed under Subsection (d);
(2) a detailed description of the location where
registration application forms submitted to the high school deputy
registrar under Subsection (e) are kept;
(3) the months during which the registration
application forms were distributed; and
(4) the name of the high school deputy registrar and,
if different, the name of the principal.
(e-2) The secretary of state may redact the name or names
provided under Subsection (e-1)(4) from the report before providing
public access to the report.
(e-3) A public or private high school shall conduct at least
two voter registration drives during each school year at the
school's expense. The school may cooperate with the county
election office, nonpartisan, nonprofit voter registration
organizations, and nonpartisan voter registration agencies as
necessary to provide voter registration assistance. At least one
deputy registrar must attend to provide voter registration
application forms, assist students in completing the forms to the
extent permissible by law, and collect completed forms for
submission to the county voter registrar. Each student in the 12th
grade and any other student who is eligible to register to vote must
be allowed to attend the registration drives. The registration
drives must be offered during classroom instructional time or in a
public area of the school building.
SECTION 2. Section 13.047, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) Each public school and open-enrollment charter school
shall offer in-person or virtual training developed under this
section at least once per year. The training shall be offered
during the school week and must be made available to each student,
school employee, parent, or local community member eligible for the
training. The school shall collaborate with the county in which the
school is located to provide the training. The school shall
communicate the training details virtually to all educators at the
school.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.