BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 795

84R6149 JRJ-D

By: Perry et al.

 

State Affairs

 

4/9/2015

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

Under the current election code there is no system in place to prevent duplicate registration in more than one state. In many states, interstate crosscheck programs are used to clean up voter rolls and look for potential voter fraud.

 

Opting into an interstate crosscheck program does not change how voters are removed from the voter rolls and complies with the Voting Rights Act. Additionally, the program earned an endorsement from the Presidential Commission on Election Administration.

 

Many states have found this system to be successful in identifying duplications on registrations.

 

S.B. 795 instructs the Texas Secretary of State to opt into an interstate crosscheck program.

 

As proposed, S.B. 795 amends current law relating to establishing an interstate voter registration crosscheck program.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter C, Chapter 18, Election Code, by adding Section 18.062, as follows:

 

Sec. 18.062. INTERSTATE VOTER REGISTRATION CROSSCHECK PROGRAM. Requires the secretary of state, to maintain the statewide voter registration list and to prevent duplication of registration in more than one state or jurisdiction, to cooperate with other states and jurisdictions to develop systems to compare voters, voter history, and voter registration lists to identify voters whose addresses have changed.

 

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2015.