Eckhardt’s bill cuts the voter registration wait to 15 days

The text as introduced · 566 words

89R5121 LRM-D

By: Eckhardt
S.B. No. 1070

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the date on which a voter registration application

becomes effective.

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

SECTION 1. Section 13.042(c), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(c) An application submitted after the 19th [ 34th ] day

before the date of an election and on or before the last day for a

person to timely submit a registration application for that

election as provided by Section 13.143 shall be delivered not later

than 5 p.m. of the next regular business day after the date to

timely submit a registration application for that election as

provided by Section 13.143.

SECTION 2. Section 13.143(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (e), if an

applicant's registration application is approved, the registration

becomes effective on the 15th [ 30th ] day after the date the

application is submitted to the registrar or on the date the

applicant becomes 18 years of age, whichever is later.

SECTION 3. Section 13.144(a), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(a) Not later than the 15th [ 30th ] day after the date the

registrar receives the application, the registrar shall deliver the

original of an initial certificate:

(1) in person to the applicant or the applicant's agent

appointed under Section 13.003; or

(2) by mail to the applicant.

SECTION 4. Sections 15.025(a) and (d), Election Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (d), the

registration of a voter described by this subsection whose

information is changed on the registration records becomes

effective as to the change on the 15th [ 30th ] day after:

(1) the date the voter submits to the registrar a

notice of a change in registration information under Section 15.021

or a response under Section 15.053, indicating the change; or

(2) the date the voter submits a statement of

residence to an election officer under Section 63.0011 or a

registration application or change of address to an agency employee

under Chapter 20, indicating the change.

(d) If the 15th [ 30th ] day before the date of an election is

a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday, the

document is considered to be timely if it is submitted to the

registrar on or before the next regular business day.

SECTION 5. Section 16.0921(c), Election Code, is amended to

read as follows:

(c) The registrar may not deliver a confirmation notice

resulting from a sworn statement filed after the 75th day before the

date of the general election for state and county officers until

after the date of that election. This subsection does not apply to

a person who submits a registration application after the 75th day

and prior to the 15th [ 30th ] day before the general election for

state and county officers.

SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to

a voter registration application submitted on or after the

effective date of this Act. A voter registration application

submitted before the effective date of this Act is governed by the

law in effect when the application was submitted, and the former law

is continued in effect for that purpose.

SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.