HB1263 - Relating to the verification of citizenship of an applicant for voter registration.

  89R1036 LRM-D     By: Schofield H.B. No. 1263       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the verification of citizenship of an applicant for   voter registration.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 13.002(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  A person desiring to register to vote must submit an   application to the registrar of the county in which the person   resides. Except as provided by Subsection (e), an application must   be submitted by personal delivery, by mail, or by telephonic   facsimile machine in accordance with Section 13.143(d-2) [ Sections   13.143(d) and (d-2) ].          SECTION 2.  Section 13.046(f), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (f)  Except as provided by this subsection, Sections   13.039[ , 13.041, ] and 13.042 apply to the submission and delivery   of registration applications under this section, and for that   purpose, "volunteer deputy registrar" in those sections includes a   high school deputy registrar. A high school deputy registrar may   review an application for completeness out of the applicant's   presence. A deputy may deliver a group of applications to the   registrar by mail in an envelope or package, and, for the purpose of   determining compliance with the delivery deadline, an application   delivered by mail is considered to be delivered at the time of its   receipt by the registrar.          SECTION 3.  Section 13.071, Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 13.071.  REVIEW OF APPLICATION. (a) The registrar   shall review each submitted application for registration to   determine whether it complies with Section 13.002 and indicates   that the applicant is a United States citizen eligible for   registration.          (b)   If the application is submitted to the Department of   Public Safety in person with the proof of citizenship required by   Section 20.063(e), the  [ The ] registrar shall make the determination   not later than the seventh day after the date the application is   submitted to the registrar.           (c)     If the application is submitted in a manner other than   the manner described by Subsection (b), the registrar shall forward   the information relating to the applicant to the secretary of state   for determining citizenship as provided by Section 13.0721.          SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 13, Election Code, is   amended by adding Section 13.0721 to read as follows:           Sec.   13.0721.     DETERMINATION OF CITIZENSHIP. (a)   This   section does not apply to an application for registration submitted   to the Department of Public Safety in person with the proof of   citizenship required by Section 20.063(e).           (b)     The secretary of state shall verify with the Department   of Public Safety the citizenship status of each applicant for voter   registration whose information is forwarded to the secretary of   state as provided by Section 13.071(c). If the department verifies   the applicant's citizenship status, the secretary of state shall   notify the registrar. If the department does not have information   regarding the citizenship status of the applicant or has   information indicating that the applicant is not a citizen, the   registrar and the applicant shall be notified as provided by   secretary of state rule.           (c)     An applicant for voter registration who receives notice   under Subsection (b) must provide proof of citizenship to the   registrar not later than the 60th day after the date of receipt.   Except as provided by Subsection (d), this proof must be presented   in person. The following is acceptable as proof of citizenship   under this section:                 (1)  an unexpired passport issued to the person;                 (2)     a certified copy of a birth certificate, or other   document confirming the person's birth that is admissible in a   court of law and establishes the person's identity, presented with   a government-issued identification that contains the person's   photograph; or                 (3)     United States citizenship papers issued to the   person and presented with a government-issued identification that   contains the person's photograph.           (d)     An applicant may mail a certified copy of a document   described by Subsection (c)(2) or (3) with a copy of the person's   government-issued photo identification to the registrar.           (e)     If an applicant does not provide proof of citizenship as   required, the registrar shall reject the application and notify the   secretary of state. The secretary of state shall keep a list of   applicants of whom the secretary receives notice under this   section.           (f)     The secretary of state shall adopt rules and prescribe   procedures to implement this section.          SECTION 5.  Section 13.143(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  Except as provided by Subsection [ Subsections ] (b) [ and   (e) ], if an applicant's registration application is approved, the   registration becomes effective on the 30th day after the date the   application is approved [ submitted to the registrar ] or on the date   the applicant becomes 18 years of age, whichever is later.          SECTION 6.  Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:           (e)     A person who submits a voter registration application to   the department in person shall at the time of submission present as   proof of citizenship:                 (1)  an unexpired passport issued to the person;                 (2)     a certified copy of a birth certificate or other   document confirming the person's birth that is admissible in a   court of law and establishes the person's identity; or                 (3)     United States citizenship papers issued to the   person.          SECTION 7.  Sections 13.041 and 13.143(d) and (e), Election   Code, are repealed.          SECTION 8.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   an application to register to vote submitted on or after the   effective date of this Act.          SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.