SB2646 - Relating to requiring a voter to be affiliated with a political party to vote in that party's primary election or otherwise participate in that party's affairs; creating a criminal offense.

  89R1037 MPF-D     By: Middleton S.B. No. 2646       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to requiring a voter to be affiliated with a political   party to vote in that party's primary election or otherwise   participate in that party's affairs; creating a criminal offense.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 13.002(c), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (c)  A registration application must include:                (1)  the applicant's first name, middle name, if any,   last name, and former name, if any;                (2)  the month, day, and year of the applicant's birth;                (3)  a statement that the applicant is a United States   citizen;                (4)  a statement that the applicant is a resident of the   county;                (5)  a statement that the applicant has not been   determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate   jurisdiction to be:                      (A)  totally mentally incapacitated; or                      (B)  partially mentally incapacitated without the   right to vote;                (6)  a statement that the applicant has not been   finally convicted of a felony or that the applicant is a felon   eligible for registration under Section 13.001;                (7)  the applicant's residence address or, if the   residence has no address, the address at which the applicant   receives mail and a concise description of the location of the   applicant's residence;                (8)  the following information:                      (A)  the applicant's Texas driver's license number   or the number of a personal identification card issued by the   Department of Public Safety;                      (B)  if the applicant has not been issued a number   described by Paragraph (A), the last four digits of the applicant's   social security number; or                      (C)  a statement by the applicant that the   applicant has not been issued a number described by Paragraph (A) or   (B);                (9)  if the application is made by an agent, a statement   of the agent's relationship to the applicant; [ and ]                (10)  the city and county in which the applicant   formerly resided ; and                 (11)     the applicant's political party affiliation, if   any .          SECTION 2.  Section 13.122(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  In addition to the other statements and spaces for   entering information that appear on an officially prescribed   registration application form, each official form must include:                (1)  the statement: "I understand that giving false   information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime   under state and federal law.";                (2)  a space for the applicant's registration number;                (3)  a space for the applicant's Texas driver's license   number or number of a personal identification card issued by the   Department of Public Safety;                (4)  a space for the applicant's telephone number;                (5)  a space for the applicant's social security   number;                (6)  a space for the applicant's sex;                (7)  a statement indicating that the furnishing of the   applicant's telephone number and sex is optional;                (8)  a space or box for indicating whether the   applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a   change in current registration information;                (9)  a statement instructing a voter who is using the   form to make a change in current registration information to enter   the voter's name and the changed information in the appropriate   spaces on the form;                (10)  a statement that if the applicant declines to   register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be   used only for voter registration purposes;                (11)  a statement that if the applicant does register   to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the   application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used   only for voter registration purposes;                (12)  a space or box for indicating whether the   applicant is interested in working as an election judge;                (13)  a statement warning that a conviction for making   a false statement may result in imprisonment for up to the maximum   amount of time provided by law, a fine of up to the maximum amount   provided by law, or both the imprisonment and the fine; [ and ]                (14)   a space for the applicant's political party   affiliation; and                 (15)   any other voter registration information   required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by   the secretary of state.          SECTION 3.  Section 15.001(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  Each voter registration certificate issued must   contain:                (1)  the voter's name in the form indicated by the   voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section   13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state;                (2)  the voter's residence address or, if the residence   has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a   concise description of the location of the voter's residence;                (3)  the year of the voter's birth;                (4)  the number of the county election precinct in   which the voter resides;                (5)  the voter's effective date of registration if an   initial certificate;                (6)  the voter's registration number;                (7)  an indication of the period for which the   certificate is issued;                (8)  a statement explaining the circumstances under   which the voter will receive a new certificate;                (9)  a space for indicating [ stamping ] the voter's   political party affiliation;                (10)  a statement that voting with the certificate by a   person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued   is a felony;                (11)  a space for the voter's signature;                (12)  a statement that the voter must sign the   certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt;                (13)  a space for the voter to correct the information   on the certificate followed by a signature line;                (14)  the statement: "If any information on this   certificate changes or is incorrect, correct the information in the   space provided, sign below, and return this certificate to the   voter registrar.";                (15)  the registrar's mailing address and telephone   number; and                (16)  the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for   the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as   determined by the voter registrar:                      (A)  congressional district;                      (B)  state senatorial district;                      (C)  state representative district;                      (D)  commissioners precinct;                      (E)  justice precinct;                      (F)  city election precinct; and                      (G)  school district election precinct.          SECTION 4.  Section 15.025(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (d) and   Section 162.003 , 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 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.          SECTION 5.  Section 18.005(a), Election Code, is amended to   read as follows:          (a)  Each original and supplemental list of registered   voters must:                (1)  contain the voter's name, date of birth, and   registration number as provided by the statewide computerized voter   registration list;                (2)  contain the voter's residence address, except as   provided by Subsections (b) and (c);                (3)  be arranged alphabetically by voter name; [ and ]                (4)  contain the notation required by Section 15.111 ;   and                 (5)     contain the voter's political party affiliation,   if any . &#x [Text truncated for display. Full text available on LegiScan.]