HB3247 - Relating to electronic voter registration.

  89R8247 LRM-D     By: Bryant H.B. No. 3247       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to electronic voter registration.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  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 and the Department of Public   Safety 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 2.  Section 13.042(c), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (c)  An application submitted after the 27th [ 34th ] day   before the date of an election and on or before the last day for a   person to timely submit a registration application for that   election as provided by Section 13.143 shall be delivered not later   than 5 p.m. of the next regular business day after the date to   timely submit a registration application for that election as   provided by Section 13.143.          SECTION 3.  Sections 13.143(a) and (e), Election Code, are   amended to read as follows:          (a)  Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (e), if an   applicant's registration application is approved, the registration   becomes effective on the 23rd [ 30th ] day after the date the   application is submitted to the registrar or on the date the   applicant becomes 18 years of age, whichever is later.          (e)  If the 23rd [ 30th ] day before the date of an election is   a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday, an   application is considered to be timely if it is submitted to the   registrar on or before the next regular business day.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.