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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the residence address of a person for purposes of a |
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response to a confirmation notice sent by the voter registrar. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 15.052(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The official confirmation notice response form must: |
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(1) provide spaces for the voter to include all of the |
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information that a person must include in an application to |
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register to vote under Section 13.002; [and] |
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(2) describe the requirements of Section 15.054, |
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provide a space for the voter to indicate if the voter is exempt |
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from those requirements, and provide a space to indicate the reason |
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for an exemption, if any; and |
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(3) be postage prepaid and preaddressed for delivery |
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to the registrar. |
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SECTION 2. Section 15.053(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Not later than the 30th day after the date a |
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confirmation notice is mailed, the voter shall submit to the |
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registrar a written, signed response to the notice that confirms |
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the voter's current residence. The response must contain: |
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(1) all of the information that a person must include |
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in an application to register to vote under Section 13.002; and |
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(2) evidence that the voter's residence address is |
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established in compliance with Section 15.054 or an indication that |
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the voter is exempt from those requirements. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter C, Chapter 15, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 15.054 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 15.054. RESIDENCE FOR PURPOSES OF CONFIRMATION NOTICE |
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RESPONSE. (a) For purposes of Section 15.053, a person's residence |
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is established at the first residence address, beginning with |
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Subdivision (1) and continuing through Subdivision (6), in the |
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following list that is applicable to the person: |
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(1) the address stated on a driver's license issued to |
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the person by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired |
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or, if the person has notified the department of a change of address |
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under Section 521.054, Transportation Code, the new address |
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contained in the notification; |
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(2) the address stated on a personal identification |
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card issued to the person by the Department of Public Safety that |
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has not expired or, if the person has notified the department of a |
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change of address under Section 521.054, Transportation Code, the |
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new address contained in the notification; |
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(3) the address stated on a license to carry a |
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concealed handgun issued to the person by the Department of Public |
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Safety that has not expired or, if the person has notified the |
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department of a change of address under Section 411.181, Government |
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Code, the new address contained in the notification; |
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(4) an address corresponding to a residence at which |
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the person receives mail; |
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(5) the address the person claims as a homestead in |
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this state; or |
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(6) the registration address of a vehicle the person |
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owns. |
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(b) A person whose residence in this state has no address |
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may establish residence under this section by executing an |
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affidavit stating that the person's residence in this state has no |
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address, providing a concise description of the location of the |
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person's residence, and delivering the affidavit to the registrar |
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with the person's response to the confirmation notice. |
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(c) The address described by Subsection (a)(4) may not be a |
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commercial post office box or similar location that does not |
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correspond to a residence. |
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(d) This section does not apply to: |
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(1) a person who is a member of the armed forces of the |
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United States or the spouse or a dependent of a member; |
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(2) a person enrolled as a full-time student at an |
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institution of higher education; |
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(3) a person whose address is confidential under |
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Subchapter C, Chapter 56, Code of Criminal Procedure; |
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(4) a federal judge, state judge, or spouse of a |
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federal or state judge whose driver's license includes the street |
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address of a courthouse under Section 521.121, Transportation Code; |
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or |
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(5) a peace officer whose driver's license omits the |
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officer's actual residence address under Section 521.1211, |
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Transportation Code. |
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(e) Subsection (a)(1) does not apply to a person who holds a |
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commercial driver's license under Subchapter C, Chapter 522, |
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Transportation Code. |
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(f) The secretary of state shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |