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.