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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the registration of voters at a polling place and |
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related procedures; modifying the penalty for the offense of false |
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statement on a voter registration application. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 13.007(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, |
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except that the offense is a state jail felony if the registration |
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application is submitted under Section 63.010. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 62, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 62.0016 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 62.0016. VOTER REGISTRARS MUST BE PRESENT. Two voter |
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registrars must be present at each polling place while the polls are |
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open. |
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SECTION 3. Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Section 63.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 63.010. REGISTRATION AT POLLING PLACE; VOTING |
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PROCEDURES. (a) Other applicable provisions of this code apply to |
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the conduct of voting and to the registration of voters under this |
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section to the extent those provisions do not conflict with this |
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section. |
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(b) A person who would be eligible to vote in an election |
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under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered |
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voter, shall be accepted for voting in the precinct of the person's |
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residence if, on the day the person offers to vote, the person: |
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(1) submits a voter registration application that |
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complies with Section 13.002 to a voter registrar at the polling |
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place; |
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(2) presents as proof of identification: |
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(A) a Texas driver's license, including a |
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temporary license or instruction permit, or personal |
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identification card issued to the person by the Department of |
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Public Safety that states the person's current address on the day |
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the person seeks to vote; or |
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(B) a utility bill addressed to the person dated |
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not earlier than the 30th day before the date the person seeks to |
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vote, and: |
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(i) a Texas driver's license, including a |
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temporary license or instruction permit, or personal |
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identification card issued to the person by the Department of |
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Public Safety, regardless of whether the address stated on the |
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license or card is current on the day the person seeks to vote; |
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(ii) a United States passport issued to the |
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person; or |
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(iii) a United States military |
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identification card that contains the person's photograph; and |
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(3) executes an affidavit stating that all of the |
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information submitted in the person's registration application is |
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true and submits the affidavit to a voter registrar at the polling |
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place. |
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(c) Persons voting under this section shall be processed |
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separately at the polling place from persons who are voting under |
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regular procedures. |
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(d) The secretary of state shall adopt rules to ensure the |
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accountability of election officers and to fairly implement this |
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section. |
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SECTION 4. Section 85.031(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) For each person entitled to vote an early voting ballot |
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by personal appearance or entitled to register at a polling place, |
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the early voting clerk shall follow the procedure for accepting or |
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registering a regular voter on election day, with the modifications |
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necessary for the conduct of early voting. |
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SECTION 5. The secretary of state shall adopt rules as |
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required by Section 63.010, Election Code, as added by this Act, not |
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later than February 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an election for which early voting by personal appearance begins on |
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or after February 1, 2014. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |