bill for same-day registration for military families

The text as introduced · 640 words

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.