By: Bettencourt, et al. S.B. No. 511
(In the Senate - Filed November 25, 2024; February 3, 2025,
read first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
April 7, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 0; April 7, 2025,
sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 511 By: Bettencourt
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to prohibiting an officer or employee of this state or of a
political subdivision of this state from distributing certain voter
registration application forms; creating a criminal offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
Sec. 13.009. DISTRIBUTION OF APPLICATION; OFFENSE. (a)
Except as otherwise provided by a provision of this code, including
provisions of this chapter and Chapter 20, an officer or employee of
this state or of a political subdivision of this state may not
distribute a form on which a person may apply for registration to a
person who did not request it.
(b) An officer or employee of this state or of a political
subdivision of this state may not use public funds to facilitate the
distribution by another person of a form the officer or employee
would be prohibited from distributing under Subsection (a).
(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a political party or a
candidate for office may distribute a form described by Subsection
(a) to a person who did not request it.
(d) An officer or employee of this state or of a political
subdivision of this state commits an offense if the officer or
employee violates Subsection (a) or (b).
(e) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
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