Bill Text: TX HB4507 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to federal election practices and procedures.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 3-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2021-05-12 - Placed on General State Calendar [HB4507 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-HB4507-Comm_Sub.html
By: Schofield, Jetton, Metcalf | H.B. No. 4507 |
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relating to federal election practices and procedures. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 31.007, Election Code, is amended to | ||
read as follows: | ||
Sec. 31.007. SUSPENSION OF PROVISIONS IMPLEMENTING FEDERAL | ||
LAW [ |
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order, regulation, or other official action any provision of | ||
federal law regarding the registration of voters or conduct of | ||
elections, including but not limited to the National Voter | ||
Registration Act of 1993 or its successors is not required to be | ||
implemented or enforced in whole or in part, an affected state law | ||
or rule is suspended to the extent that the law or rule was enacted | ||
or adopted to implement that law [ |
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legislature that the applicable law in effect immediately before | ||
the enactment or adoption be reinstated and continued in effect | ||
pending enactment of corrective state legislation. | ||
(b) On a finding by the secretary of state that a suspension | ||
of a law or rule has occurred under Subsection (a), the secretary | ||
may modify applicable procedures as necessary to give effect to the | ||
suspension and to reinstatement of the procedures of the former | ||
law. | ||
(c) The secretary of state may adopt rules to implement this | ||
section as necessary. | ||
SECTION 2. Chapter 31, Election Code, is amended by adding | ||
Section 31.0075 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 31.0075. TEMPORARY MEASURES TO IMPLEMENT FEDERAL LAW. | ||
(a) Pending enactment of conforming state legislation, the | ||
secretary of state shall by rule, after consulting with the chair | ||
and vice chair of the standing committees of the senate and house of | ||
representatives having jurisdiction over elections, adopt | ||
procedures to conform with federal laws enacted regarding federal | ||
elections in a manner which will not substantively modify the | ||
procedures for voter registration for or conduct of elections other | ||
than federal elections provided in this Code, except as provided by | ||
this section. | ||
(b) In compliance with Subsection (a), to the extent federal | ||
law modifies the requirements or procedures in this Code for voter | ||
registration in federal elections, the secretary of state shall by | ||
rule, establish and maintain a federal election voter registration | ||
system in compliance with federal law. Any person registered under | ||
this system shall not be eligible to vote in any election other than | ||
federal elections unless that person is qualified and registered to | ||
vote under Title 2 of this Code. Any person seeking to register to | ||
vote under the federal election voter registration system provided | ||
for under this subsection shall be notified upon registering to | ||
vote under this system that registration to vote in federal | ||
elections does not qualify a person to vote in any other election | ||
conducted in this state unless that person registers to vote as | ||
provided by Title 2 of this Code. All persons registered to vote as | ||
provided by Title 2 of this Code shall be automatically registered | ||
to vote under the federal election voter registration system | ||
provided for under this subsection. Any voter registration | ||
certificate issued or lists of registered voters produced under the | ||
federal election voter registration system provided for under this | ||
subsection shall be clearly marked "Valid for federal elections | ||
only." | ||
(c) In compliance with subsection (a), to the extent federal | ||
law modifies the conduct of elections for federal office in a manner | ||
which substantively conflicts with any provision in this Code, | ||
notwithstanding any other provision in this Code, the secretary of | ||
state shall by rule modify the uniform election dates and other | ||
associated dates and deadlines provided in this Code so that no | ||
election other than those for federal offices are held on the same | ||
date as any special election for member of congress, federal | ||
primary, federal primary runoff or general election for federal | ||
offices. | ||
SECTION 3. 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |