Bill Text: TX HB954 | 2015-2016 | 84th Legislature | Introduced

Texas House Bill 954 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Relating to an electronic application for voter registration and a ballot to be voted by mail.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-02 - Referred to Elections [HB954 Detail]

Download: Texas-2015-HB954-Introduced.html

	84R4309 ADM-D

	By: Alvarado	H.B. No. 954



	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to an electronic application for voter registration and a
	ballot to be voted by mail.
	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 implement a program to allow a person to
	complete a voter registration application over the Internet from
	the official website of this state. The 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) print a registration application from the website
	the applicant is using to register, sign the application, and mail
	it to the registrar.
	(d) The program must allow an applicant to:
	(1) indicate whether the applicant is eligible for a
	ballot to be voted by mail; and
	(2) if the applicant is eligible, complete an
	application for a ballot to be voted by mail as part of the
	registration process.
	(e) For each application submitted under Subsection (b),
	the program shall:
	(1) require that a digital copy of the applicant's
	signature be obtained from the Department of Public Safety; and
	(2) compare the information provided by the applicant
	against Department of Public Safety records.
	(f) For each application submitted under Subsection (c),
	the program shall provide the applicant with:
	(1) a registration application that the applicant can
	print from the registration website, sign, and mail to the
	registrar as required under Subsection (c)(2); and
	(2) information about how the applicant can obtain a
	driver's license or personal identification card from the
	Department of Public Safety.
	(g) If the information submitted by an applicant under
	Subsection (b) does not match Department of Public Safety records,
	the program shall:
	(1) notify the applicant that the application cannot
	be processed electronically; and
	(2) advise the applicant to print an application and
	submit it to the voter registrar of the county in which the
	applicant resides by mail or personal delivery.
	(h) If the information submitted by an applicant under
	Subsection (b) matches Department of Public Safety records, the
	program shall forward the application to the registrar of the
	county in which the applicant states that the applicant resides.
	(i) On receipt of an application under Subsection (h), the
	registrar shall review the application in accordance with Section
	13.071.
	(j) The program must allow an applicant, at any time, to
	print the application for completion and submission to the voter
	registrar by mail or personal delivery.
	(k) An application electronically submitted under this
	section is considered for all purposes as an application submitted
	by mail under this title.
	(l) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to
	implement this section, including rules to:
	(1) provide for additional security measures
	necessary to ensure the accuracy and integrity of applications
	submitted electronically; and
	(2) ensure that an application for a ballot to be voted
	by mail that is submitted under this section is forwarded as soon as
	possible to the appropriate early voting clerk.
	(m) The rules adopted under Subsection (l) 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 of a person who submits an
	application electronically under this section.
	SECTION 2. Section 84.007(b), Election Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(b) An application must be submitted to the early voting
	clerk by:
	(1) mail;
	(2) common or contract carrier; [or]
	(3) telephonic facsimile machine, if a machine is
	available in the clerk's office; or
	(4) electronic means under Section 13.009.
	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015.