Jones Bill Makes Voter Registration Automatic At DPS

The text as introduced · 1,083 words

89R6426 JDK-D

By: Jones of Harris
H.B. No. 2281

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to automatic voter registration on interaction with a

voter registration agency.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is

amended by adding Sections 13.009 and 13.010 to read as follows:

Sec. 13.009. 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. 13.010. VOTER REGISTRATION THROUGH 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 2. Section 20.002, Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 20.002. AGENCY-PRESCRIBED REGISTRATION APPLICATION

FORM. (a) A voter registration agency under this subchapter shall

prescribe and use a form and procedure that combines a form for

services from that agency with an officially prescribed voter

registration application form.

(b) A voter registration agency under this subchapter shall

prescribe and use a form and procedure that requests a person's

address and that combines agency and voter registration functions.

The form must allow a person to indicate that a change of address is

not for voter registration purposes.

(c) The design, content, and physical characteristics of

the agency forms must be [ Instead of using the official voter

registration application form prescribed by the secretary of state,

a voter registration agency may use an official form prescribed by

the agency, if ] approved by the secretary of state.

SECTION 3. Section 20.032(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) An appropriate agency employee shall [ routinely ] inform

each person who applies in person for agency services of the

opportunity to complete a voter registration application form and

[ on request ] shall provide nonpartisan voter registration

assistance to the applicant.

SECTION 4. Section 20.061, Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 20.061. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other

provisions of this chapter apply to the Department of Public Safety

except provisions that conflict with this subchapter or Section

13.009 .

SECTION 5. Section 20.062(b), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) The department shall prescribe and use a change of

address form and procedure that combines department and voter

registration functions. The form must allow a licensee or

cardholder to indicate that [ whether ] the change of address is not

[ also to be used ] for voter registration purposes.

SECTION 6. Section 20.063, Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

Sec. 20.063. REGISTRATION PROCEDURES. (a) The Department

of Public Safety shall consider an application made in person, by

mail, or online at the department's Internet website [ provide to

each person who applies in person at the department's offices ] for

an original or renewal of a driver's license, a personal

identification card, or a duplicate or corrected license or card by

a person who is eligible to vote as provided by Section 13.001 an

application for [ opportunity to complete a ] voter registration .

The date of application is considered to be the date of submission

to the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective

date of registration [ application form ].

(b) The Department of Public Safety shall consider a change

of address that relates to [ When the department processes ] a

license or card and that is submitted to [ for renewal by mail, ] the

department [ shall deliver to the applicant by mail a voter

registration application form.

[ (c) A change of address that relates to a license or card

and that is submitted to the department ] in person , [ or ] by mail , or

online at the department's Internet website [ serves ] as a change in

[ of address for ] voter registration [ unless the licensee or

cardholder indicates that the change is not for voter registration

purposes ]. The date of submission of a change of address to a

department employee is considered to be the date of submission to

the voter registrar for the purpose of determining the effective

date of registration [ only ].

(c) The registration of an eligible [ (d) If a completed ]

voter as required by Subsections (a) and (b) is automatic unless the

person indicates that the transaction is not for voter

registration purposes [ application submitted to a department

employee does not include the applicant's correct driver's license

number or personal identification card number, a department

employee shall enter the appropriate information on the

application. If a completed application does not include the

applicant's correct residence address or mailing address, a

department employee shall obtain the appropriate information from

the applicant and enter the information on the application ].

SECTION 7. Section 20.065(b), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(b) Each weekday the department is regularly open for

business, the department shall electronically transfer to the

secretary of state the name and information designated by the

secretary of state for [ of each person who completes a ] voter

registration for each individual who is eligible to vote as

provided by Section 13.001 and applies in person, by mail, or online

at the department's Internet website for an original or renewal of a

driver's license, a personal identification card, or a duplicate or

corrected license or card [ application submitted to the

department ]. The secretary shall prescribe procedures necessary to

implement this subsection.

SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.