By Alonzo                                             H.B. No. 2816
       74R5725 DRH-D
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to allowing a political subdivision to hold a local option
    1-3  election on whether a lawfully admitted resident alien may vote in
    1-4  an election held by the political subdivision.
    1-5        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-6        SECTION 1.  Title 2, Election Code, is amended by adding
    1-7  Chapter 20 to read as follows:
    1-8                 CHAPTER 20.  VOTING BY RESIDENT ALIEN
    1-9        Sec. 20.001.  LOCAL OPTION ELECTION.  (a)  The governing body
   1-10  of a political subdivision may order an election in the political
   1-11  subdivision on the question of whether a person who is lawfully
   1-12  admitted for permanent residence, as defined by 8 U.S.C. Section
   1-13  1101, may vote in an election held by the political subdivision.
   1-14        (b)  At the election, the ballot shall be printed to permit
   1-15  voting for or against the proposition:  "Voting by a person
   1-16  lawfully admitted for permanent residence in the United States in
   1-17  an election held by (name of political subdivision)."
   1-18        (c)  If a majority of the votes received in the election
   1-19  approve the proposition:
   1-20              (1)  a person who meets the qualifications to vote
   1-21  under Section 11.002 except that the person is not a United States
   1-22  citizen is qualified to vote in an election held by the political
   1-23  subdivision if the person is lawfully admitted for permanent
   1-24  residence; and
    2-1              (2)  a person who is eligible to register to vote under
    2-2  Section 13.001 except that the person is not a United States
    2-3  citizen is eligible to register to vote in an election held by the
    2-4  political subdivision if the person is lawfully admitted for
    2-5  permanent residence.
    2-6        Sec. 20.002.  FORMS AND PROCEDURE.  (a)  The secretary of
    2-7  state shall prescribe the design and content of a:
    2-8              (1)  form to apply for registration to vote by a person
    2-9  who is qualified to vote under this chapter; and
   2-10              (2)  limited use voter registration certificate for a
   2-11  person who has registered to vote under this chapter.
   2-12        (b)  The procedure for the administration of a limited use
   2-13  voter registration certificate issued under this chapter is the
   2-14  same as the procedure for the administration of a voter
   2-15  registration certificate under this title.
   2-16        (c)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules for the
   2-17  verification of a person's status at the time a person applies to
   2-18  register to vote under this chapter.
   2-19        SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect January 1, 1996, but only
   2-20  if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 74th Legislature,
   2-21  Regular Session, 1995, relating to permitting a lawfully admitted
   2-22  resident alien to vote in an election held by a political
   2-23  subdivision is approved by the voters.
   2-24        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-25  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-26  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-27  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    3-1  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.