H.B. No. 4034
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain voter registration information.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 13.004(c-1), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (c-1)  The registrar shall ensure that the information
  listed in Subsection (c) is excluded from disclosure, except that
  the registrar shall forward to the county chair of each county
  executive committee the information necessary to contact
  applicants who indicate interest in working as an election judge.
         SECTION 2.  Section 16.031(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The registrar shall cancel a voter's registration
  immediately on receipt of:
               (1)  notice under Section 13.072(b) or 15.021 or a
  response under Section 15.053 that the voter's residence is outside
  the county;
               (2)  an abstract of the voter's death certificate under
  Section 16.001(a) or an abstract of an application indicating that
  the voter is deceased under Section 16.001(b);
               (3)  an abstract of a final judgment of the voter's
  total mental incapacity, partial mental incapacity without the
  right to vote, conviction of a felony, or disqualification under
  Section 16.002, 16.003, or 16.004;
               (4)  notice under Section 112.012 that the voter has
  applied for a limited ballot in another county;
               (5)  notice from a voter registration official in
  another state that the voter has registered to vote outside this
  state;
               (6)  notice from the early voting clerk under Section
  101.053 [101.0041] that a federal postcard application submitted by
  an applicant states a voting residence address located outside the
  registrar's county; or
               (7)  notice from the secretary of state that the voter
  has registered to vote in another county, as determined by the
  voter's driver's license number or personal identification card
  number issued by the Department of Public Safety or social security
  number.
         SECTION 3.  Section 18.061(c), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  Under procedures prescribed by the secretary of state,
  each voter registrar shall provide to the secretary of state on an
  expedited basis the information necessary to maintain the
  registration list established under Subsection (a). The procedures
  shall provide for the electronic submission of the information and
  ensure that each voter registrar collects and reports the correct
  month, day, and year of birth for each registered voter.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter C, Chapter 18, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 18.0681 to read as follows:
         Sec. 18.0681.  SECRETARY OF STATE AUTHORITY TO ELIMINATE
  DUPLICATE REGISTRATION RECORDS. (a) The secretary of state shall
  periodically compare the information regarding voters maintained
  as part of the statewide computerized voter registration list to
  determine whether any voters have more than one voter registration
  record on file.
         (b)  The secretary of state shall by rule determine what
  information combinations identified as common to more than one
  registration record constitute a weak match or a strong match in
  order to:
               (1)  produce the least possible impact on Texas voters;
  and
               (2)  fulfill its responsibility to manage the voter
  rolls.
         (c)  The secretary of state may not determine that a voter
  has more than one registration record based on a weak match.  The
  secretary of state may inform the county of the voter's residence
  that a weak match exists.
         (d)  If the secretary of state determines that a voter on the
  registration list has more than one registration record on file
  based on a strong match, the secretary shall send notice of the
  determination to the voter registrar of each county in which the
  voter is registered to vote.  If the voter records identified are:
               (1)  located in the same county, the voter registrar
  may merge the records following a determination that each record
  belongs to the same voter using the procedure for the correction of
  registration records under Section 15.022; or
               (2)  located in more than one county, the registrar of
  the county with the oldest record may deliver a written
  confirmation notice in accordance with Section 15.051.
         SECTION 5.  Section 19.002(d), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The secretary of state may not make a payment under
  Subsection (b) if on June 1 of the year in which the payment is to be
  made the registrar is not in substantial compliance with Section
  15.083, 16.031, 16.032, or 18.065 or with rules implementing the
  registration service program.
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter A, Chapter 84, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 84.014 to read as follows:
         Sec. 84.014.  ACTION BY EARLY VOTING CLERK ON CERTAIN
  APPLICATIONS.  If an applicant provides a date of birth, driver's
  license number, or social security number on the applicant's
  application for an early voting ballot to be voted by mail that is
  different from or in addition to the information maintained by the
  voter registrar in accordance with Title 2, the early voting clerk
  shall notify the voter registrar.  The voter registrar shall update
  the voter's record with the information provided by the applicant.
         SECTION 7.  Section 101.053, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 101.053.  ACTION BY EARLY VOTING CLERK ON CERTAIN
  APPLICATIONS.  (a)  The early voting clerk shall notify the voter
  registrar of a federal postcard application submitted by an
  applicant that states a voting residence address located outside
  the registrar's county.
         (b)  If an applicant provides a date of birth, driver's
  license number, or social security number on the applicant's
  federal postcard application that is different from or in addition
  to the information maintained by the voter registrar in accordance
  with Title 2, the early voting clerk shall notify the voter
  registrar.  The voter registrar shall update the voter's record
  with the information provided by the applicant.
         SECTION 8.  Section 62.0132(g), Government Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (g)  The information contained in a completed questionnaire
  may be disclosed to:
               (1)  a judge assigned to hear a cause of action in which
  the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential juror;
               (2)  court personnel; [and]
               (3)  a litigant and a litigant's attorney in a cause of
  action in which the respondent to the questionnaire is a potential
  juror; and
               (4)  other than information provided that is related to
  Section 62.102(8) or (9), the voter registrar of a county in
  connection with any matter of voter registration or the
  administration of elections.
         SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2017.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4034 was passed by the House on May 9,
  2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 145, Nays 0, 2 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 4034 on May 26, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 141, Nays 1,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 4034 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 24, 2017, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0.
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor