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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to maintenance of the statewide voter registration list. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 18.061(c), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) Under procedures prescribed by the secretary of state, |
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each voter registrar shall provide to the secretary of state on an |
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expedited basis the information necessary to maintain the |
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registration list established under Subsection (a). The procedures |
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shall provide for the electronic submission of the information and |
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ensure that each voter registrar collects and reports the correct |
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month, day, and year of birth for each registered voter. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 18, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 18.0681 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 18.0681. SECRETARY OF STATE AUTHORITY TO ELIMINATE |
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DUPLICATE REGISTRATION RECORDS. (a) The secretary of state shall |
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periodically compare the information regarding voters maintained |
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as part of the statewide computerized voter registration list to |
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determine whether any voters have more than one voter registration |
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record on file. |
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(b) The secretary of state shall by rule determine what |
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information combinations identified as common to more than one |
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registration record constitute a weak match or a strong match in |
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order to: |
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(1) produce the least possible impact on Texas voters; |
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and |
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(2) fulfill its responsibility to manage the voter |
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rolls. |
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(c) The secretary of state may not determine that a voter |
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has more than one registration record based on a weak match. The |
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secretary of state may inform the county of the voter's residence |
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that a weak match exists. |
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(d) If the secretary of state determines that a voter on the |
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registration list has more than one registration record on file |
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based on a strong match, the secretary shall send notice of the |
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determination to the voter registrar of each county in which the |
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voter is registered to vote. If the voter records identified are: |
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(1) located in the same county, the voter registrar |
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may merge the records following a determination that each record |
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belongs to the same voter using the procedure for the correction of |
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registration records under Section 15.022; or |
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(2) located in more than one county, the registrar of |
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the county with the oldest record may deliver a written |
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confirmation notice in accordance with Section 15.051. |
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SECTION 3. Section 62.0132(g), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(g) The information contained in a completed questionnaire |
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may be disclosed to: |
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(1) a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which |
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the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential juror; |
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(2) court personnel; [and] |
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(3) a litigant and a litigant's attorney in a cause of |
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action in which the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential |
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juror; and |
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(4) other than information provided that is related to |
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Section 62.102(8) or (9), the voter registrar of a county in |
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connection with any matter of voter registration or the |
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administration of elections. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |