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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to automatic voter registration on issuance of a driver's |
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license or identification card by the Department of Public Safety. |
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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. AUTOMATIC VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH |
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DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY FOR CERTAIN PERSONS. (a) The voter |
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registrar of each county shall automatically register any county |
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resident who is 18 years of age, eligible to vote as provided by |
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Section 13.001, and issued a Texas driver's license or a personal |
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identification card by the Department of Public Safety. |
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(b) A driver's license or personal identification card |
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transaction with an indication provided by Section 20.063(c) that |
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the transaction is not for voter registration purposes is not |
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subject to this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 20.061, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 20.061. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other |
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provisions of this chapter apply to the Department of Public Safety |
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except provisions that conflict with this subchapter or Section |
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13.009. |
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SECTION 3. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended by |
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amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection (e) to read |
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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, by mail, or online at the department's |
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Internet website [at the department's offices] for an original or |
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renewal of a driver's license, a personal identification card, or a |
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duplicate or corrected license or card an opportunity to complete a |
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voter 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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(e) The Department of Public Safety shall consider an |
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application made in person, by mail, or online at the department's |
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Internet website for an original or renewal of a driver's license, a |
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personal identification card, or a duplicate or corrected license |
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or card by a person who is 18 years of age and eligible to vote as |
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provided by Section 13.001 an application for voter registration. |
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The date of application is considered to be the date of submission |
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to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective |
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date of registration. The registration of an eligible voter under |
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this subsection is automatic unless the person indicates that the |
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transaction is not for voter registration purposes. |
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SECTION 4. Section 20.065(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) Each weekday the department is regularly open for |
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business, the department shall electronically transfer to the |
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secretary of state the name and information designated by the |
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secretary of state for [of] each person who completes a voter |
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registration application submitted to the department and for each |
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individual who is eligible for registration under Section |
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20.063(e). The secretary shall prescribe procedures necessary to |
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implement this subsection. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |