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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of the Department of Public Safety as |
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a voter registration agency. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 13.002(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A person desiring to register to vote must submit an |
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application to the registrar of the county in which the person |
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resides. Except as provided by Subsection (e) or Subchapter C, |
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Chapter 20, an application must be submitted by personal delivery, |
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by mail, or by telephonic facsimile machine in accordance with |
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Sections 13.143(d) and (d-2). |
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SECTION 2. Section 20.062, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as |
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follows: |
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(a) The Department of Public Safety shall prescribe and use |
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a form and procedure that combines the department's application |
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form for a license or card with an officially prescribed voter |
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registration application form for each United States citizen who |
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applies in person at the department's offices or online at the |
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department's Internet website. |
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(d) A procedure prescribed under this section must provide |
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for the electronic transmission of an applicant's voter |
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registration data by the department to the secretary of state in |
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accordance with Section 20.066. |
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SECTION 3. Sections 20.063(a) and (c), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) The Department of Public Safety shall provide to each |
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person who applies in person or online at the department's Internet |
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website [at the department's offices] for an original or renewal of |
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a driver's license, a personal identification card, or a duplicate |
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or corrected license or card an opportunity to complete a voter |
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registration application form. |
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(c) A change of address that relates to a license or card and |
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that is submitted to the department in person, [or] by mail, or |
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online at the department's Internet website serves as a change of |
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address for voter registration unless the licensee or cardholder |
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indicates that the change is not for voter registration purposes. |
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The date of submission of a change of address to a department |
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employee is considered to be the date of submission to the voter |
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registrar for the purpose of determining the effective date of |
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registration [only]. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |