Bill Text: TX HB304 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the procedure for accepting a voter who presents as identification a personal identification certificate or driver's license issued to the voter that indicates the voter has not presented proof of the voter's United States citizenship to the Department of Public Safety.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2024-11-12 - Filed [HB304 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-HB304-Introduced.html
89R5290 TSS-F | ||
By: Guillen | H.B. No. 304 |
|
||
|
||
relating to the procedure for accepting a voter who presents as | ||
identification a personal identification certificate or driver's | ||
license issued to the voter that indicates the voter has not | ||
presented proof of the voter's United States citizenship to the | ||
Department of Public Safety. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding | ||
Section 63.0014 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 63.0014. ACCEPTING VOTERS WITH LIMITED VALIDITY FOR | ||
VOTING DESIGNATOR. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of | ||
this code, a voter who presents a personal identification | ||
certificate or driver's license as photo identification with a | ||
designator reading "VALID FOR VOTING ONLY WITH VERIFICATION OF | ||
ELIGIBILITY" may only be accepted for voting if the voter also | ||
presents proof of the voter's United States citizenship. | ||
(b) If the requirements of Subsection (a) are not met, the | ||
voter may be accepted for provisional voting only under Section | ||
63.011. For a voter who is not accepted for voting under this | ||
section, an election officer shall: | ||
(1) inform the voter of the voter's right to cast a | ||
provisional ballot under Section 63.011; and | ||
(2) provide the voter with written information, in a | ||
form prescribed by the secretary of state, that: | ||
(A) lists the requirements for identification; | ||
(B) states the procedure for presenting | ||
identification under Section 65.0541; | ||
(C) includes a map showing the location where | ||
identification must be presented; and | ||
(D) includes notice that if all procedures are | ||
followed and the voter is found to be eligible to vote and is voting | ||
in the correct precinct, the voter's provisional ballot will be | ||
accepted. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 63.011(a), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(a) A person to whom Section 63.001(g), 63.0014(b), or | ||
63.009 applies may cast a provisional ballot if the person executes | ||
an affidavit stating that the person: | ||
(1) is a registered voter in the precinct in which the | ||
person seeks to vote; and | ||
(2) is eligible to vote in the election. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 65.0541(a), Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
(a) A voter who is accepted for provisional voting under | ||
Section 63.011 because the voter does not meet the identification | ||
requirements of Section 63.001(b) or 63.0014 may, not later than | ||
the sixth day after the date of the election do one of the | ||
following, as applicable: | ||
(1) present a form of identification described by | ||
Section 63.0101 to the voter registrar for examination; [ |
||
(2) execute an affidavit described by Section | ||
65.054(b)(2)(B) or (C) in the presence of the voter registrar; or | ||
(3) present proof of the voter's United States | ||
citizenship. | ||
SECTION 4. Subchapter E, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, | ||
is amended by adding Section 521.1017 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 521.1017. LIMITED VALIDITY FOR VOTING DESIGNATOR. If, | ||
at the time a person applies for a personal identification | ||
certificate, the person does not provide proof of the person's | ||
United States citizenship, the personal identification certificate | ||
issued to the person must display a designator reading "VALID FOR | ||
VOTING ONLY WITH VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY." | ||
SECTION 5. Subchapter F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, | ||
is amended by adding Section 521.1225 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 521.1225. LIMITED VALIDITY FOR VOTING DESIGNATOR. If, | ||
at the time a person applies for a driver's license, the person does | ||
not provide proof of the person's United States citizenship, the | ||
driver's license issued to the person must display a designator | ||
reading "VALID FOR VOTING ONLY WITH VERIFICATION OF ELIGIBILITY." | ||
SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act to | ||
Subchapters E and F, Chapter 521, Transportation Code, apply only | ||
to a personal identification certificate or driver's license issued | ||
or renewed on or after the effective date of this Act. A personal | ||
identification certificate or driver's license issued or renewed | ||
before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in | ||
effect when the certificate or license was issued or renewed, and | ||
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. | ||
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |