85R14990 GRM-F
	By: Turner	H.B. No. 3943

	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.  Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
	amended by adding Section 31.013 to read as follows:
	Sec. 31.013.  MOBILE LOCATIONS FOR OBTAINING
	IDENTIFICATION. (a)  The secretary of state shall establish a
	program using mobile units to provide election identification
	certificates to voters for the purpose of satisfying the
	requirements of Section 63.001(b).  A mobile unit may be used at
	special events or at the request of a constituent group.
	(b)  In establishing the program, the secretary of state
	shall consult with the Department of Public Safety on the creation
	of the program, security relating to the issuance of an election
	identification certificate, best practices in issuing an election
	identification certificate, and equipment required to issue an
	election identification certificate.
	(c)  The secretary of state may not charge a fee to a group
	that requests a mobile unit established under this section.
	(d)  If the secretary of state cannot ensure the required
	security or other necessary elements of the program, the secretary
	of state may deny a request for a mobile unit established under this
	section.
	(e)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules necessary for
	the implementation of this section.
	SECTION 2.  Subchapter E, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
	amended by adding Section 31.125 to read as follows:
	Sec. 31.125.  ELECTION IDENTIFICATION CERTIFICATES. (a) The
	county clerk shall provide a location at the county clerk's office
	and at each subcourthouse located in the county for the Department
	of Public Safety to issue an election identification certificate
	under Section 521A.001, Transportation Code, during all regular
	business hours.
	(b)  The secretary of state shall negotiate an agreement that
	the Department of Public Safety and each county clerk shall enter
	into for the purpose of issuing election identification
	certificates under this section.
	SECTION 3.  Section 63.001, Election Code, is amended by
	amending Subsection (b) 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 declaration described by Subsection
	(i) [63.0101].
	(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.
	(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 a declaration under penalty of perjury declaring the
	voter's identity. The secretary of state shall prescribe the
	following form of the affidavit:
	DECLARATION OF VOTER'S IDENTITY TO BE COMPLETED BY VOTER
	Name:
	VOTER'S DECLARATION OF IDENTITY
	By signing this declaration, I swear or affirm under penalty of
	perjury that my name is listed as ________________ on the official
	voter registration list, that I am that person, and that I currently
	reside at
	___________________________________________________________
	Signature of VoterDate
	Sworn to and subscribed before me this
	_____ day of __________, 20___
	Presiding Judge _______________
	SECTION 4.  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 or the equivalent agency of
	another state [that has not expired or that expired no earlier than
	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 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 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;
	(6)  an election identification certificate issued to
	the person by the Department of Public Safety;
	(7)  a valid identification card that contains the
	person's photograph and is issued by:
	(A)  an agency or institution of the federal
	government; or
	(B)  an agency, institution, or political
	subdivision of any state;
	(8)  a photo identification card issued to the person
	by a municipal, county, or state governmental entity or the United
	States for the purpose of obtaining public benefits, including
	veteran's benefits, Medicaid, or Medicare;
	(9)  an official Native American tribal document that:
	(A)  contains the person's photograph; and
	(B)  is issued by a tribe that is federally
	recognized;
	(10)  a student identification card issued by an
	institution of higher education or a private or independent
	institution of higher education as those terms are defined by
	Section 61.003, Education Code, that contains the person's
	photograph; or
	(11)  a United States Department of Veterans Affairs
	identification card, including a Veteran Health Identification
	Card, that contains the person's photograph [that has not expired
	or that expired no earlier than 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 domestic birth certificate
	or other document confirming birth that is admissible in a court of
	law and establishes the person's identity.
	(c)  A person 70 years of age or older may use a form of
	identification listed in Subsection (a) that has expired for the
	purposes of voting if the identification is otherwise valid.
	(d)  Except as provided by Subsection (c), a form of
	acceptable identification listed by Subsection (a) that has not
	expired or expired not earlier than four years before the date of
	presentation may be used as an acceptable form of photo
	identification if the identification is otherwise valid.
	SECTION 5.  Section 65.0541(a), Election Code, is amended to
	read as follows:
	(a)  A voter who is accepted for provisional voting under
	Section 63.011 because the voter does not meet the identification
	requirements of Section 63.001(b) may, not later than the sixth day
	after the date of the election:
	(1)  present [a form of identification described by
	Section 63.0101] to the voter registrar for examination:
	(A)  a form of identification described by Section
	63.0101(a); or
	(B)  a form of identification described by Section
	63.0101(b) accompanied by the declaration described by Section
	63.001(i); or
	(2)  execute an affidavit described by Section
	65.054(b)(2)(B) or (C) in the presence of the voter registrar.
	SECTION 6.  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 declaration of voter's identity 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 7.  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 8.  This Act takes effect January 1, 2018.