Bill Text: TX HB2098 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the requirements for an application to vote an early voting ballot by mail.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-13 - Referred to Elections [HB2098 Detail]
Download: Texas-2015-HB2098-Introduced.html
84R8620 JRJ-D | ||
By: Miller of Fort Bend | H.B. No. 2098 |
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relating to the requirements for an application to vote an early | ||
voting ballot by mail. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 63.0101, Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 63.0101. DOCUMENTATION OF PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION. | ||
(a) The following documentation is an acceptable form of photo | ||
identification under this chapter: | ||
(1) a driver's license, election identification | ||
certificate, or personal identification card issued to the person | ||
by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired or that | ||
expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation; | ||
(2) a United States military identification card that | ||
contains the person's photograph that has not expired or that | ||
expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of presentation; | ||
(3) a United States citizenship certificate issued to | ||
the person that contains the person's photograph; | ||
(4) a United States passport issued to the person that | ||
has not expired or that expired no earlier than 60 days before the | ||
date of presentation; or | ||
(5) a license to carry a concealed handgun issued to | ||
the person by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired | ||
or that expired no earlier than 60 days before the date of | ||
presentation. | ||
(b) If a person is 65 years of age or older, an expired | ||
driver's license or personal identification card issued to the | ||
person by the Department of Public Safety is an acceptable form of | ||
identification for the purpose of applying for a ballot to be voted | ||
by mail under Chapter 84. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 84.002(a), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(a) An early voting ballot application must include: | ||
(1) the applicant's name, [ |
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the applicant is registered to vote, and, if the applicant is | ||
applying for a ballot to be voted by mail for the first time, a copy | ||
of one form of identification described by Section 63.0101; | ||
(2) for an application for a ballot to be voted by mail | ||
on the ground of absence from the county of residence, the address | ||
outside the applicant's county of residence to which the ballot is | ||
to be mailed; | ||
(3) for an application for a ballot to be voted by mail | ||
on the ground of age or disability, the address of the hospital, | ||
nursing home or other long-term care facility, or retirement | ||
center, or of a person related to the applicant within the second | ||
degree by affinity or the third degree by consanguinity, as | ||
determined under Chapter 573, Government Code, if the applicant is | ||
living at that address and that address is different from the | ||
address at which the applicant is registered to vote; | ||
(4) for an application for a ballot to be voted by mail | ||
on the ground of confinement in jail, the address of the jail or of a | ||
person related to the applicant within the degree described by | ||
Subdivision (3); | ||
(5) for an application for a ballot to be voted by mail | ||
on any ground, an indication of each election for which the | ||
applicant is applying for a ballot; and | ||
(6) an indication of the ground of eligibility for | ||
early voting. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 84.011(a), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(a) The officially prescribed application form for an early | ||
voting ballot must include: | ||
(1) immediately preceding the signature space the | ||
statement: "I certify that the information given in this | ||
application is true, and I understand that giving false information | ||
in this application is a crime."; | ||
(2) a statement informing the applicant of the | ||
offenses prescribed by Sections 84.003 and 84.004; | ||
(3) spaces for entering an applicant's voter | ||
registration number and county election precinct of registration, | ||
with a statement informing the applicant that failure to furnish | ||
that information does not invalidate the application; and | ||
(4) on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail: | ||
(A) a space for an applicant applying on the | ||
ground of absence from the county of residence to indicate the date | ||
on or after which the applicant can receive mail at the address | ||
outside the county; | ||
(B) a space for indicating the fact that an | ||
applicant whose application is signed by a witness cannot make the | ||
applicant's mark and a space for indicating the relationship or | ||
lack of relationship of the witness to the applicant; | ||
(C) a space for entering an applicant's telephone | ||
number, with a statement informing the applicant that failure to | ||
furnish that information does not invalidate the application; | ||
(D) a space or box for an applicant applying on | ||
the ground of age or disability to indicate that the address to | ||
which the ballot is to be mailed is the address of a facility or | ||
relative described by Section 84.002(a)(3), if applicable; | ||
(E) a space or box for an applicant applying on | ||
the ground of confinement in jail to indicate that the address to | ||
which the ballot is to be mailed is the address of a relative | ||
described by Section 84.002(a)(4), if applicable; | ||
(F) spaces for entering the signature, printed | ||
name, and residence address of any person assisting the applicant; | ||
(G) a statement informing the applicant of the | ||
condition prescribed by Section 81.005; [ |
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(H) a statement informing the applicant of the | ||
requirement prescribed by Section 86.003(c); and | ||
(I) a statement informing the applicant of the | ||
requirement that the applicant include a copy of one form of | ||
identification described by Section 63.0101 if the applicant is | ||
applying for a ballot to be voted by mail for the first time. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 86.001, Election Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subsection (h) to read as follows: | ||
(h) The secretary of state shall by rule provide a system | ||
for maintaining information regarding the provision of | ||
identification with each initial application for a ballot to be | ||
voted by mail. | ||
SECTION 5. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
an application to vote an early voting ballot by mail submitted on | ||
or after the effective date of this Act. An application to vote an | ||
early voting ballot by mail submitted before the effective date of | ||
this Act is governed by the law in effect when the application was | ||
submitted, and the former law is continued in effect for that | ||
purpose. | ||
SECTION 6. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |