HB3523 - Relating to the registration of military family members at a polling place and related procedures.

  89R8881 TSS-F     By: Garcia of Bexar H.B. No. 3523       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the registration of military family members at a   polling place and related procedures.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  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 2.  Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding   Section 63.010 to read as follows:           Sec.   63.010.     REGISTRATION OF MILITARY FAMILIES AT POLLING   PLACE; VOTING PROCEDURES.   (a)   In this section, "armed forces of   the United States" has the meaning assigned by Section 171.0251.           (b)     Other applicable provisions of this code apply to the   conduct of voting and to the registration of voters under this   section to the extent those provisions do not conflict with this   section.           (c)     A person who would be eligible to vote in an election   under Section 11.001, but for the requirement to be a registered   voter, shall be accepted for voting at a polling place at which the   person would be allowed to vote if registered if, on the day the   person offers to vote:                 (1)  the person:                       (A)     is a member of the armed forces of the United   States;                       (B)     is the spouse, as indicated by an original or   certified copy of the person's marriage license, of a member of the   armed forces of the United States; or                       (C)     is the child, as indicated by an original or   certified copy of the child's birth certificate or adoption order,   of a member of the armed forces of the United States;                   (2)     the person submits a voter registration   application that complies with Section 13.002 to a voter registrar   at the polling place;                 (3)     the person presents an unexpired United States   military identification card, such as a common access card, that   includes the photograph of the person, the person's spouse, or the   person's parent, as applicable; and                 (4)  the person presents as proof of identification:                       (A)     a Texas driver's license, including a   temporary license or instruction permit, or personal   identification card issued to the person by the Department of   Public Safety that states the person's current address on the day   the person seeks to vote;                       (B)     orders issued by the United States military   requiring the member of the armed forces of the United States   described by Subdivision (1) to actively serve within this state;   or                       (C)     a utility bill addressed to the member of the   armed forces of the United States described by Subdivision (1)   dated not earlier than the 30th day before the date the person seeks   to vote.           (d)     Persons voting under this section shall be processed   separately at the polling place from persons who are voting under   regular procedures.           (e)     The secretary of state shall adopt rules to ensure the   accountability of election officers and to fairly implement this   section.          SECTION 3.  Section 85.031(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  For each person entitled to vote an early voting ballot   by personal appearance or who is entitled to register at a polling   place , the early voting clerk shall follow the procedure for   accepting a regular voter on election day, with the modifications   necessary for the conduct of early voting.          SECTION 4.  The secretary of state shall adopt rules as   required by Section 63.010, Election Code, as added by this Act, not   later than February 1, 2026.          SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   an election for which early voting by personal appearance begins on   or after February 1, 2026.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.