HB2082 - Relating to ensuring access to the right to vote by all eligible voters.

  89R3242 MLH-F     By: Bucy H.B. No. 2082       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to ensuring access to the right to vote by all eligible   voters.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:   ARTICLE 1. REGISTRATION OF VOTERS          SECTION 1.01.  Section 11.002(a), Election Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  In this code, "qualified voter" means a person who:                (1)  is 18 years of age or older;                (2)  is a United States citizen;                (3)  has not been determined by a final judgment of a   court exercising probate jurisdiction to be:                      (A)  totally mentally incapacitated; or                      (B)  partially mentally incapacitated without the   right to vote;                (4)  has not been finally convicted of a felony or, if   so convicted, is not currently incarcerated for that offense [ has:                      [ (A)     fully discharged the person's sentence,   including any term of incarceration, parole, or supervision, or   completed a period of probation ordered by any court; or                      [ (B)     been pardoned or otherwise released from the   resulting disability to vote ];                (5)  is a resident of this state; and                (6)  is a registered voter.          SECTION 1.02.  Subchapter A, Chapter 12, Election Code, is   amended by adding Section 12.007 to read as follows:           Sec.   12.007.     CERTAIN ELECTION OFFICERS ARE VOTER   REGISTRARS. The registrar shall appoint at least one election   officer serving each polling place for early voting by personal   appearance or on election day as a regular deputy registrar.          SECTION 1.03.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is   amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:           Sec.   13.009.     ELECTRONIC VOTER REGISTRATION. (a) The   secretary of state shall work with the Department of Public Safety   and the Department of Information Resources to implement a program   to allow a person to complete a voter registration application over   the Internet from the official website of this state. The Internet   websites of the secretary of state, the Department of Public   Safety, and each voter registration agency under Section 20.001(a)   must also provide a link to the location of the application on the   official website of this state.           (b)     An applicant for electronic voter registration who has   an unexpired driver's license or personal identification card   issued in this state must:                 (1)     attest to the truth of the information provided on   the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;   and                 (2)     affirmatively consent to the use of the signature   on the applicant's driver's license or personal identification card   for voter registration purposes.           (c)     An applicant for electronic voter registration who does   not have an unexpired driver's license or personal identification   card issued in this state must:                 (1)     attest to the truth of the information provided on   the application by affirmatively accepting the information as true;   and                 (2)     digitally sign the applicant's application before   submitting it electronically.           (d)     For each application submitted under Subsection (b),   the program shall require that a digital copy of the applicant's   signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety.           (e)     A digital signature given as provided by secretary of   state rule meets the signature requirement under Section 13.002(b).     An application submitted under this section is considered for all   purposes an application submitted by mail under this title.           (f)     The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to   implement this section, including rules to provide for additional   security measures necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of   applications submitted electronically.           (g)     The rules adopted under Subsection (f) must require   that:                 (1)     the Internet website through which a person may   complete a voter registration application include a description of   the offense described by Section 13.007 in a conspicuous location   on the website near the place where the person begins or submits the   application; and                 (2)     the state electronic Internet portal project be   used to authenticate the identity and address of a person who   submits an application electronically under this section.          SECTION 1.04.  Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is   amended by adding Sections 13.010 and 13.011 to read as follows:           Sec.   13.010.     VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH DEPARTMENT OF   PUBLIC SAFETY. (a) The voter registrar of each county shall   automatically register any county resident who is eligible to vote   as provided by Section 13.001 and:                 (1)     is issued a Texas driver's license or a personal   identification card by the Department of Public Safety; or                 (2)     makes a change to a Texas driver's license or   personal identification card issued by the Department of Public   Safety.           (b)     A driver's license or personal identification card   transaction with an indication provided by Section 20.062(b) or   20.063(c) that the transaction is not for voter registration   purposes is not subject to this section.           Sec.   13.011.     VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH CERTAIN VOTER   REGISTRATION AGENCIES. (a) The voter registrar of each county   shall automatically register any county resident who is eligible to   vote as provided by Section 13.001 and applies for services from a   voter registration agency under Subchapter B, Chapter 20.           (b)     An application for services is not subject to this   section if the application is accompanied by:                 (1)     an indication under Section 20.002(b) that the   transaction is not for voter registration; or                 (2)  a declination form under Section 20.036.           (c)     The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures for   the implementation of this section.          SECTION 1.05.  Section 13.031, Election Code, is amended by   adding Subsection (f) to read as follows:           (f)     A volunteer deputy registrar appointed under this   section may serve as a volunteer deputy registrar throughout the   state regardless of which county appointed the deputy registrar.   The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to implement this   subsection.          SECTION 1.06.  Section 13.033(b), Election Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (b)  If a person is to be appointed, the registrar shall   prepare a certificate of appointment in duplicate containing:                (1)  the date of appointment;                (2)  the statement: "I, ____________, Voter Registrar   for ____________ County, do hereby appoint ____________ as a   volunteer deputy registrar [ for ____________ County ].";                (3)  the person's residence address;                (4)  the person's voter registration number, if any;                (5)  a statement that the term of the appointment   expires December 31 of an even-numbered year; and                (6)  a statement that the appointment terminates on the   person's final conviction for an offense for failure to deliver a   registration application and may terminate on the registrar's   determination that the person failed to adequately review a   registration application, intentionally destroyed or physically   altered a registration application, or engaged in any other   activity that conflicts with the responsibilities of a volunteer   deputy registrar under this chapter.          SECTION 1.07.  Section 13.037(a), Election Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  A person may not receive compensation from any [ the ]   county for service as a volunteer deputy registrar unless   compensation is authorized by the commissioners court of that   county .          SECTION 1.08.  Section 13.038, Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          Sec. 13.038.  POWERS GENERALLY. (a) A volunteer deputy   registrar may distribute voter registration application forms   throughout the county and receive registration applications   submitted to the deputy in person.           (b)     A volunteer deputy registrar may distribute a voter   registration application in the form prescribed by the secretary of   state under Section 31.002 throughout the state and receive an   application in that form submitted to the deputy in person,   regardless of the county in which the application was printed.           (c)     The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures to   implement this section.          SECTION 1.09.  Section 13.046(h), Election Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (h)  The secretary of state shall :                 (1)     consult with the Texas Education Agency regarding   the number of registration application forms to provide to each   high school;                 (2)     provide to each high school registration   application forms once each fall and spring semester in the number   determined from the consultation under Subdivision (1); and                   (3)   prescribe any additional procedures necessary to   implement this section.          SECTION 1.10.  Section 20.001(a), Election Code, is amended   to read as follows:          (a)  The following state agencies are designated as voter   registration agencies:                (1)  Health and Human Services Commission;                (2)  Department of Aging and Disability Services;                (3)  Department of Assistive and Rehabilitative   Services;                (4)  Department of State Health Services; [ and ]   & [Text truncated for display. 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