Bill Text: TX SB979 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to voter registration at polling places.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced) 2025-02-13 - Referred to State Affairs [SB979 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-SB979-Introduced.html
| 89R5034 PRL-D | ||
| By: Eckhardt | S.B. No. 979 | |
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| relating to voter registration at polling places. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 20.001, Election Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: | ||
| (d-1) Each polling place is designated as a voter | ||
| registration agency. | ||
| SECTION 2. Chapter 20, Election Code, is amended by adding | ||
| Subchapter F to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER F. POLLING PLACE | ||
| Sec. 20.151. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other | ||
| provisions of this chapter apply to a polling place except | ||
| provisions that conflict with this subchapter. | ||
| Sec. 20.152. REGISTRATION PROCEDURE. (a) An election | ||
| officer at the polling place shall provide to each person of voting | ||
| age who is lawfully present in the polling place and is not | ||
| registered to vote in the election an opportunity to complete a | ||
| voter registration application form. | ||
| (b) A polling place shall use the official form prescribed | ||
| by the secretary of state. | ||
| Sec. 20.153. DECLINATION FORM NOT REQUIRED. A polling | ||
| place is not required to comply with the procedures prescribed by | ||
| this chapter relating to the form for a declination of voter | ||
| registration. | ||
| Sec. 20.154. NOTIFICATION OF INELIGIBILITY TO VOTE IN | ||
| CURRENT ELECTION REQUIRED. An election officer who provides a | ||
| person an opportunity to complete a voter registration application | ||
| under this subchapter shall notify the person that the person is not | ||
| eligible to vote in the current election. | ||
| SECTION 3. Section 61.001(a-1), Election Code, is amended | ||
| to read as follows: | ||
| (a-1) Under this code, a person may be lawfully present in a | ||
| polling place during the time described by Subsection (a) if the | ||
| person is: | ||
| (1) an election judge or clerk; | ||
| (2) a watcher; | ||
| (3) the secretary of state; | ||
| (4) a staff member of the Elections Division of the | ||
| Office of the Secretary of State performing an official duty in | ||
| accordance with this code; | ||
| (5) an election official, a sheriff, or a staff member | ||
| of an election official or sheriff delivering election supplies; | ||
| (6) a state inspector; | ||
| (7) a person admitted to vote; | ||
| (8) a child under 18 years of age who is accompanying a | ||
| parent who has been admitted to vote; | ||
| (9) a person providing assistance to a voter under | ||
| Section 61.032 or 64.032; | ||
| (10) a person accompanying a voter who has a | ||
| disability; | ||
| (11) a special peace officer appointed by the | ||
| presiding judge under Section 32.075; | ||
| (12) the county chair of a political party conducting | ||
| a primary election, as authorized by Section 172.1113; | ||
| (13) a voting system technician, as authorized by | ||
| Section 125.010; | ||
| (14) the county election officer, as defined by | ||
| Section 31.091, as necessary to perform tasks related to the | ||
| administration of the election; [ |
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| (15) a person whose presence has been authorized by | ||
| the presiding judge in accordance with this code; or | ||
| (16) a person registering to vote under Subchapter F, | ||
| Chapter 20. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
