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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to electronic voter registration. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 13.009. ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The |
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secretary of state shall implement a program to allow a person who |
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has an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card |
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issued in this state to complete a voter registration application |
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over the Internet from the official website of this state. The |
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websites of the secretary of state and the Department of Public |
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Safety must also provide a link to the location of the application |
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on the official website of this state. |
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(b) An applicant for electronic voter registration must: |
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(1) attest to the truth of the information provided on |
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the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true; |
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and |
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(2) affirmatively consent to the use of the signature |
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on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card |
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for voter registration purposes. |
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(c) For each application the program shall: |
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(1) require that a digital copy of the applicant's |
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signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety; and |
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(2) compare the information provided by the applicant |
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against Department of Public Safety records. |
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(d) If the information submitted by an applicant does not |
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match Department of Public Safety records, the program shall: |
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(1) notify the applicant that the application cannot |
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be processed electronically; and |
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(2) advise the applicant to print an application and |
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submit it to the voter registrar of the county in which the |
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applicant resides by mail or personal delivery. |
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(e) If the information submitted by an applicant matches |
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Department of Public Safety records, the program shall forward the |
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application to the registrar of the county in which the applicant |
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states that the applicant resides. |
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(f) On receipt of an application under Subsection (e), the |
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registrar shall review the application in accordance with Section |
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13.071. |
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(g) An application electronically submitted under this |
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section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted |
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by mail under this title. |
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(h) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section, including rules to provide for additional |
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security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of |
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applications submitted electronically. |
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(i) The rules adopted under Subsection (h) must require |
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that: |
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(1) the Internet website through which a person may |
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complete a voter registration application include a description of |
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the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location |
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on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the |
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application; and |
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(2) the state electronic Internet portal project be |
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used to authenticate the identity of a person who submits an |
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application electronically under this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |