SB2494 - Relating to the acceptance of a voter.

  89R13835 LRM-D     By: Creighton S.B. No. 2494       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the acceptance of a voter.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 63.001(b), (d), and (e), Election Code,   are amended 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   Section 63.0101(a)[ ; or                [ (2)     one form of identification listed in Section   63.0101(b) accompanied by the declaration described by Subsection   (i) ].          (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 a declaration described by   Subsection (i). ]          (e)  On accepting a voter, an election officer shall indicate   beside the voter's name on the list of registered voters that the   voter is accepted for voting.  [ If the voter executes a declaration   of reasonable impediment to meet the requirement for identification   under Subsection (b), the election officer must affix the voter's   voter registration number to the declaration either in numeric or   bar code form. ]          SECTION 2.  Section 63.004(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  The secretary of state may prescribe forms that combine   the poll list, the signature roster, or any other form used in   connection with the acceptance of voters at polling places with   each other or with the list of registered voters.  The secretary   shall prescribe any special instructions necessary for using the   combination forms.  [ The combination forms must include space for   an election officer to indicate whether a voter executed a   declaration of reasonable impediment under Section 63.001(i). ]          SECTION 3.  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 declaration required   by Section 63.001(b);                [ (5) ]  the statement of residence form required by   Section 63.0011;                 (5)  [ (6) ]  the provisional ballot affidavit required   by Section 63.011;                 (6)  [ (7) ]  the application for a ballot by mail   required by Section 84.011;                 (7)  [ (8) ]  the carrier envelope and voting   instructions required by Section 86.013; and                 (8)  [ (9) ]  any other voter forms that the secretary of   state identifies as frequently used and for which state resources   are otherwise available.          SECTION 4.  The following provisions are repealed:                (1)  Section 63.001(i), Election Code;                (2)  Section 63.0013, Election Code; and                (3)  Section 63.0101(b), Election Code.          SECTION 5.  The changes in law made by this Act apply to an   election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.          SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.