85R6869 JRJ-D
	By: Watson	S.B. No. 643

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to requiring a voter to present proof of identification.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 33.058(a), Election Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(a)  While on duty, a watcher may not:
	(1)  converse with an election officer regarding the
	election, except to call attention to an irregularity or violation
	of law;
	(2)  converse with a voter; or
	(3)  communicate in any manner with a voter regarding
	the election, or any related voting procedures.
	SECTION 2.  Section 63.001, Election Code, is amended by
	amending Subsections (b), (c), and (d) and adding Subsections (c-1)
	and (i) to read as follows:
	(b)  Except as provided by Subsection (h), on offering to
	vote, a voter must present to an election officer at the polling
	place:
	(1)  one form of photo identification listed in
	[described by] Section 63.0101(a); or
	(2)  one form of identification listed in Section
	63.0101(b) accompanied by the affidavit described by Subsection (i)
	[63.0101].
	(c)  On presentation of the documentation required under
	Subsection (b), an election officer shall determine whether the
	voter's name on the documentation is on the list of registered
	voters for the precinct.  If in making a determination under this
	subsection the election officer determines under standards adopted
	by the secretary of state that the voter's name on the documentation
	is substantially similar to but does not match exactly with the name
	on the list, the voter shall be accepted for voting under Subsection
	(d) if the voter submits an affidavit stating that the voter is the
	person on the list of registered voters. An election officer may
	not refuse to accept an affidavit presented under Subsection (b)(2)
	unless there is conclusive evidence that the voter executing the
	affidavit is not the person in whose name the ballot is cast.
	(c-1)  An election officer may not refuse to accept
	documentation presented to meet the requirements of Subsection (b)
	solely because the address on the documentation does not match the
	address on the list of registered voters.
	(d)  If, as determined under Subsection (c), the voter's name
	is on the precinct list of registered voters and the voter's
	identity can be verified from the documentation presented under
	Subsection (b), the voter shall be accepted for voting. An election
	officer may not question the reasonableness of an impediment sworn
	to by a voter in an affidavit described by Subsection (i).
	(i)  If the requirement for identification prescribed by
	Subsection (b)(1) is not met, an election officer shall notify the
	voter that the voter may be accepted for voting if the voter meets
	the requirement for identification prescribed by Subsection (b)(2)
	and executes an affidavit under penalty of perjury declaring the
	voter has a reasonable impediment to meeting the requirement for
	identification prescribed by Subsection (b)(1). The election
	officer may not question or challenge a voter concerning the
	voter's lack of identification under Subsection (b)(1) or the
	voter's reasonable impediment.  The secretary of state shall
	prescribe the following form of the affidavit:
	REASONABLE IMPEDIMENT DECLARATION
	TO BE COMPLETED BY VOTER
	Name:
	VOTER'S DECLARATION OF REASONABLE IMPEDIMENT OR DIFFICULTY
	By signing this declaration, I swear or affirm under penalty of
	perjury that I am the same individual who personally appeared at the
	polling place, that I am casting a ballot while voting in person,
	and that I face a reasonable impediment or difficulty that prevents
	me from getting an acceptable form of photo identification.
	My reasonable impediment or difficulty is due to the following
	reason(s):
	(Check at least one box below)
	Lack of transportation □ Disability or illness
	Lack of birth certificate or other documents needed to obtain
	acceptable photo ID
	Work schedule □ Family responsibilities
	Lost or stolen photo ID □ Photo ID applied for but not
	received
	Other reasonable impediment or difficulty
	The reasonableness of your impediment or difficulty cannot be
	questioned.
	______________________________________________________________
	Signature of VoterDate
	Sworn to and subscribed before me this
	_____ day of __________, 20___
	Presiding Judge _______________
	TO BE COMPLETED BY ELECTION OFFICIAL
	The voter provided one of the following forms of identification or
	information:
	Valid voter registration certificate; or
	A copy or original of one of the following:
	____ certified birth certificate (must be an original)
	____ current utility bill
	____ bank statement
	____ government check
	____ other government document that shows the voter's name
	and an address (with the exception of a government
	document containing a photograph, which must be an
	original)
	____ paycheck
	Location: ____________________
	Date of Election: ____________________
	SECTION 3.  Section 63.0101, Election Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	Sec. 63.0101.  DOCUMENTATION OF PROOF OF IDENTIFICATION.
	(a)  The following documentation is an acceptable form of photo
	identification under this chapter:
	(1)  a driver's license, election identification
	certificate, or personal identification card issued to the person
	by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired or that
	expired no earlier than four years [60 days] before the date of
	presentation;
	(2)  a United States military identification card that
	contains the person's photograph that has not expired or that
	expired no earlier than four years [60 days] before the date of
	presentation;
	(3)  a United States citizenship certificate issued to
	the person that contains the person's photograph;
	(4)  a United States passport issued to the person that
	has not expired or that expired no earlier than four years [60 days]
	before the date of presentation; or
	(5)  a license to carry a handgun issued to the person
	by the Department of Public Safety that has not expired or that
	expired no earlier than four years [60 days] before the date of
	presentation.
	(b)  The following documentation is acceptable as proof of
	identification under this chapter:
	(1)  a government document that shows the name and
	address of the voter, including the voter's voter registration
	certificate;
	(2)  one of the following documents that shows the name
	and address of the voter:
	(A)  a copy of a current utility bill;
	(B)  a bank statement;
	(C)  a government check; or
	(D)  a paycheck; or
	(3)  a certified copy of a birth certificate or other
	document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of law and
	establishes the person's identity.
	SECTION 4.  Section 272.011(b), Election Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(b)  The secretary of state shall prepare the translation for
	election materials required to be provided in a language other than
	English or Spanish for the following state prescribed voter forms:
	(1)  voter registration application form required by
	Section 13.002;
	(2)  the confirmation form required by Section 15.051;
	(3)  the voting instruction poster required by Section
	62.011;
	(4)  the reasonable impediment affidavit required by
	Section 63.001(b);
	(5)  the statement of residence form required by
	Section 63.0011;
	(6) [(5)]  the provisional ballot affidavit required
	by Section 63.011;
	(7) [(6)]  the application for a ballot by mail
	required by Section 84.011;
	(8) [(7)]  the carrier envelope and voting
	instructions required by Section 86.013; and
	(9) [(8)]  any other voter forms that the secretary of
	state identifies as frequently used and for which state resources
	are otherwise available.
	SECTION 5.  Section 521A.001(a), Transportation Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	(a)  The department shall issue an election identification
	certificate to a person who states that the person is obtaining the
	certificate for the purpose of satisfying Section 63.001(b),
	Election Code, and does not have another form of identification
	described by Section 63.0101(a) [63.0101], Election Code, and:
	(1)  who is a registered voter in this state and
	presents a valid voter registration certificate; or
	(2)  who is eligible for registration under Section
	13.001, Election Code, and submits a registration application to
	the department.
	SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.