Relating to prohibiting an officer or employee of this state or of a political subdivision of this state from distributing certain voter registration application forms; creating a criminal offense.

89(R) HB 1489 - House Committee Report version - Bill Text

89R20394 TSS-D

By: Oliverson, Lujan, Isaac, LaHood, Dorazio

H.B. No. 1489

Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1489:

By: Shaheen

C.S.H.B. No. 1489

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to prohibiting an officer or employee of this state or of a

political subdivision of this state from distributing certain voter

registration application forms; creating a criminal offense.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 13, Election Code, is

amended by adding Section 13.009 to read as follows:

Sec.

13.009.

DISTRIBUTION OF APPLICATION; OFFENSE.

(a)

Except as otherwise provided by a provision of this code, including

provisions of this chapter and Chapter 20, an officer or employee of

this state or of a political subdivision of this state may not

distribute a form on which a person may apply for registration to a

person who did not request it.

(b)

An officer or employee of this state or of a political

subdivision of this state may not use public funds to facilitate the

distribution by another person of a form the officer or employee

would be prohibited from distributing under Subsection (a).

(c)

Notwithstanding Subsection (a), a political party or a

candidate for office may distribute a form described by Subsection

(a) to a person who did not request it.

(d)

An officer or employee of this state or of a political

subdivision of this state commits an offense if the officer or

employee violates Subsection (a) or (b).

(e) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.