SB 979
every polling place becomes a voter registration office
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
Caption
relating to voter registration at polling places.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
You can register there. You can’t vote this election.
The bill makes every polling place in Texas a voter registration office, so unregistered people of voting age can fill out a registration form there. Election officers must offer the form to anyone lawfully in the polling place who is not registered, and must tell them they cannot vote in the current election. People registering are added to the list of those allowed inside the polling place, and polling places skip the usual form for declining registration.
Labels
Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 29, 2025 and referred to the Senate State Affairs committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-SB979 · 2025-01-29
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to voter registration at polling places.
WHAT IT DOES
You can register there. You can’t vote this election.
The bill makes every polling place in Texas a voter registration office, so unregistered people of voting age can fill out a registration form there. Election officers must offer the form to anyone lawfully in the polling place who is not registered, and must tell them they cannot vote in the current election. People registering are added to the list of those allowed inside the polling place, and polling places skip the usual form for declining registration.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
HISTORY
- Received by the Secretary of the Senate
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to State Affairs
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
Not tied to this bill.
Sources
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Jul 1, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Votes
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
Fiscal
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
How this was graded
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Sources
Texas Senate · Filed Jan 29, 2025
02/13/2025 S Referred to State Affairs
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
Senate committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Elections--Registration & Suffrage
Text
The text as introduced · 492 words
89R5034 PRL-D By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 979 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to voter registration at polling places. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 20.001, Election Code, is amended by adding Subsection (d-1) to read as follows: (d-1) Each polling place is designated as a voter registration agency. SECTION 2. Chapter 20, Election Code, is amended by adding Subchapter F to read as follows: SUBCHAPTER F. POLLING PLACE Sec. 20.151. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER PROVISIONS. The other provisions of this chapter apply to a polling place except provisions that conflict with this subchapter. Sec. 20.152. REGISTRATION PROCEDURE. (a) An election officer at the polling place shall provide to each person of voting age who is lawfully present in the polling place and is not registered to vote in the election an opportunity to complete a voter registration application form. (b) A polling place shall use the official form prescribed by the secretary of state. Sec. 20.153. DECLINATION FORM NOT REQUIRED. A polling place is not required to comply with the procedures prescribed by this chapter relating to the form for a declination of voter registration. Sec. 20.154. NOTIFICATION OF INELIGIBILITY TO VOTE IN CURRENT ELECTION REQUIRED. An election officer who provides a person an opportunity to complete a voter registration application under this subchapter shall notify the person that the person is not eligible to vote in the current election. SECTION 3. Section 61.001(a-1), Election Code, is amended to read as follows: (a-1) Under this code, a person may be lawfully present in a polling place during the time described by Subsection (a) if the person is: (1) an election judge or clerk; (2) a watcher; (3) the secretary of state; (4) a staff member of the Elections Division of the Office of the Secretary of State performing an official duty in accordance with this code; (5) an election official, a sheriff, or a staff member of an election official or sheriff delivering election supplies; (6) a state inspector; (7) a person admitted to vote; (8) a child under 18 years of age who is accompanying a parent who has been admitted to vote; (9) a person providing assistance to a voter under Section 61.032 or 64.032; (10) a person accompanying a voter who has a disability; (11) a special peace officer appointed by the presiding judge under Section 32.075; (12) the county chair of a political party conducting a primary election, as authorized by Section 172.1113; (13) a voting system technician, as authorized by Section 125.010; (14) the county election officer, as defined by Section 31.091, as necessary to perform tasks related to the administration of the election; [ or ] (15) a person whose presence has been authorized by the presiding judge in accordance with this code ; or (16) a person registering to vote under Subchapter F, Chapter 20 . SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.