Bill Text: TX HB1296 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the voter registration of naturalized United States citizens.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-13 - Filed [HB1296 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-HB1296-Introduced.html

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89R3949 JDK-D
By: Vo H.B. No. 1296

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the voter registration of naturalized United States
citizens.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 13.002(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Section 13.009, a [A] person
desiring to register to vote must submit an application to the
registrar of the county in which the person resides. Except as
provided by Subsection (e), an application must be submitted by
personal delivery, by mail, or by telephonic facsimile machine in
accordance with Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2).
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is
amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:
Sec. 13.009. VOTER REGISTRATION OF NATURALIZED CITIZEN.
(a) The voter registrar of each county shall automatically
register a resident of the county who is eligible to vote as
provided by Section 13.001 upon issuance of a certificate of
naturalization by the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services.
(b) For the purposes of Subsection (a), the Department of
Public Safety may, in cooperation with the United States
Citizenship and Immigration Services, establish a procedure by
which the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services
notifies the department when a person lawfully present in this
state is issued a certificate of naturalization.
(c) A procedure established under Subsection (b) must
require the Department of Public Safety to provide the information
received from the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services to the appropriate county registrar.
(d) If the United States Citizenship and Immigration
Services fails to notify the Department of Public Safety that a
person lawfully present in this state has been issued a certificate
of naturalization, the newly naturalized citizen may present the
certificate of naturalization to the appropriate county registrar
in satisfaction of Section 13.002(c)(3). The registrar shall
assist the person in registering to vote.
(e) The secretary of state may adopt rules to implement this
section as necessary.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.