Relating to identifying an individual with veteran’s status and providing notice to the Texas Veterans Commission.
relating to identifying an individual with veteran’s status and
providing notice to the Texas Veterans Commission.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 13.004(c) and (d), Election Code, are
amended to read as follows:
(c) The following information furnished on a registration
application is confidential and does not constitute public
information for purposes of Chapter 552, Government Code:
(1) a social security number;
(2) a Texas driver’s license number;
(3) a number of a personal identification card issued
by the Department of Public Safety;
(4) the residence address of the applicant, if the
applicant is a federal judge, including a federal bankruptcy judge,
a marshal of the United States Marshals Service, a United States
attorney, or a state judge, a family member of a federal judge,
including a federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United
States Marshals Service, a United States attorney, or a state
judge, the spouse of a peace officer as defined by Article 2A.001,
Code of Criminal Procedure, or an individual to whom Section
552.1175, Government Code, or Section 521.1211, Transportation
Code, applies and the applicant:
(A) included an affidavit with the registration
application describing the applicant’s status under this
subdivision, if the applicant is a federal judge, including a
federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United States Marshals
Service, a United States attorney, or a state judge or a family
member of a federal judge, including a federal bankruptcy judge, a
marshal of the United States Marshals Service, a United States
attorney, or a state judge;
(B) provided the registrar with an affidavit
describing the applicant’s status under this subdivision, if the
applicant is a federal judge, including a federal bankruptcy judge,
a marshal of the United States Marshals Service, a United States
attorney, or a state judge or a family member of a federal judge,
including a federal bankruptcy judge, a marshal of the United
States Marshals Service, a United States attorney, or a state
judge; or
(C) provided the registrar with a completed form
approved by the secretary of state for the purpose of notifying the
registrar of the applicant’s status under this subdivision;
(5) the residence address of the applicant, if the
applicant, the applicant’s child, or another person in the
applicant’s household is a victim of family violence as defined by
Section 71.004, Family Code, who provided the registrar with:
(A) a copy of a protective order issued under
Chapter 85, Family Code, or a magistrate’s order for emergency
protection issued under Article 17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure;
or
(B) other independent documentary evidence
necessary to show that the applicant, the applicant’s child, or
another person in the applicant’s household is a victim of family
violence;
(6) the residence address of the applicant, if the
applicant, the applicant’s child, or another person in the
applicant’s household is a victim of sexual assault or abuse,
stalking, or trafficking of persons who provided the registrar
with:
(A) a copy of a protective order issued under
Subchapter A or B, Chapter 7B, Code of Criminal Procedure, or a
magistrate’s order for emergency protection issued under Article
17.292, Code of Criminal Procedure; or
(B) other independent documentary evidence
necessary to show that the applicant, the applicant’s child, or
another person in the applicant’s household is a victim of sexual
assault or abuse, stalking, or trafficking of persons;
(7) the residence address of the applicant, if the
applicant:
(A) is a participant in the address
confidentiality program administered by the attorney general under
Subchapter B, Chapter 58, Code of Criminal Procedure; and
(B) provided the registrar with proof of
certification under Article 58.059, Code of Criminal Procedure;
[or]
(8) the telephone number of any applicant submitting
documentation under Subdivision (4), (5), (6), or (7); or
(9) the applicant’s status as a veteran.
(d) The voter registrar or other county official who has
access to the information furnished on a registration application
may not post the following information on a website:
(1) a telephone number;
(2) a social security number;
(3) a driver’s license number or a number of a personal
identification card;
(4) a date of birth; [or]
(5) the residence address of a voter who submits
documentation under Subsection (c)(4), (5), (6), or (7) to the
voter registrar or regarding whom the registrar has received
notification under Section 15.0215; or
(6) an applicant’s status as a veteran.
SECTION 2. Section 13.071, Election Code, is amended by
adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:
(c) The registrar shall compile a list of each submitted
application for registration that indicates the applicant served in
the United States armed forces, including their reserve components,
an auxiliary service of one of the branches of the armed forces, or
the state military forces as defined by Section 431.001, Government
Code. The list shall include each applicant’s:
(1) residence address; and
(2) if provided by the applicant, telephone number.
(d) The secretary of state shall adopt procedures for the
transmission of information collected under Subsection (c) to the
Texas Veterans Commission.
SECTION 3. Section 13.122, Election Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (d) to read as
follows:
(a) In addition to the other statements and spaces for
entering information that appear on an officially prescribed
registration application form, each official form must include:
(1) the statement: “I understand that giving false
information to procure a voter registration is perjury and a crime
under state and federal law.”;
(2) a space for the applicant’s registration number;
(3) a space for the applicant’s Texas driver’s license
number or number of a personal identification card issued by the
Department of Public Safety;
(4) a space for the applicant’s telephone number;
(5) a space for the applicant’s social security
number;
(6) a space for the applicant’s sex;
(7) a statement indicating that the furnishing of the
applicant’s telephone number and sex is optional;
(8) a space or box for indicating whether the
applicant or voter is submitting new registration information or a
change in current registration information;
(9) a statement instructing a voter who is using the
form to make a change in current registration information to enter
the voter’s name and the changed information in the appropriate
spaces on the form;
(10) a statement that if the applicant declines to
register to vote, that fact will remain confidential and will be
used only for voter registration purposes;
(11) a statement that if the applicant does register
to vote, information regarding the agency or office to which the
application is submitted will remain confidential and will be used
only for voter registration purposes;
(12) a space or box for indicating whether the
applicant is interested in working as an election judge;
(13) a statement warning that a conviction for making
a false statement may result in imprisonment for up to the maximum
amount of time provided by law, a fine of up to the maximum amount
provided by law, or both the imprisonment and the fine; [and]
(14) a space or box for indicating whether the
applicant served in the United States armed forces, including their
reserve components, an auxiliary service of one of the branches of
the armed forces, or the state military forces as defined by Section
431.001, Government Code, and a statement acknowledging that:
(A) providing this information is optional; and
(B) this information will remain confidential
and will be used only to print a designation on the voter
registration certificate and to provide notification of the
applicant’s veteran status to the Texas Veterans Commission, which
may contact the applicant to connect the applicant with available
services; and
(15) [(14)] any other voter registration information
required by federal law or considered appropriate and required by
the secretary of state.
(d) The information furnished by an applicant under
Subsection (a)(14) may only be used for the purpose described by
Sections 13.071(c) and (d) or Section 15.001(a).
SECTION 4. Section 15.001(a), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(a) Each voter registration certificate issued must
contain:
(1) the voter’s name in the form indicated by the
voter, subject to applicable requirements prescribed by Section
13.002 and by rule of the secretary of state;
(2) the voter’s residence address or, if the residence
has no address, the address at which the voter receives mail and a
concise description of the location of the voter’s residence;
(3) the year of the voter’s birth;
(4) the number of the county election precinct in
which the voter resides;
(5) the voter’s effective date of registration if an
initial certificate;
(6) the voter’s registration number;
(7) an indication of the period for which the
certificate is issued;
(8) a statement explaining the circumstances under
which the voter will receive a new certificate;
(9) a space for stamping the voter’s political party
affiliation;
(10) a statement that voting with the certificate by a
person other than the person in whose name the certificate is issued
is a felony;
(11) a space for the voter’s signature;
(12) a statement that the voter must sign the
certificate personally, if able to sign, immediately on receipt;
(13) a space for the voter to correct the information
on the certificate followed by a signature line;
(14) the statement: “If any information on this
certificate changes or is incorrect, correct the information in the
space provided, sign below, and return this certificate to the
voter registrar.”;
(15) the registrar’s mailing address and telephone
number; [and]
(16) the jurisdictional or distinguishing number for
the following territorial units in which the voter resides, as
determined by the voter registrar:
(A) congressional district;
(B) state senatorial district;
(C) state representative district;
(D) commissioners precinct;
(E) justice precinct;
(F) city election precinct; and
(G) school district election precinct; and
(17) an indication that the voter is a “veteran,” if
the voter stated on the voter’s registration application that the
voter served in the United States armed forces, including their
reserve components, an auxiliary service of one of the branches of
the armed forces, or the state military forces as defined by Section
431.001, Government Code.
SECTION 5. Section 18.066(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) Information furnished under this section may not
include:
(1) a voter’s social security number; [or]
(2) the residence address of a voter whose residence
address is confidential under Section 13.004; or
(3) the voter’s status as a veteran, if the voter
stated on the voter’s registration application that the voter
served in the United States armed forces, including their reserve
components, an auxiliary service of one of the branches of the armed
forces, or the state military forces as defined by Section 431.001,
Government Code.
SECTION 6. Section 521.011, Transportation Code, is amended
to read as follows:
Sec. 521.011. SERVICES INFORMATION FOR VETERANS. (a) In
this section, “veteran” means:
(1) a person who receives [The department and the
Texas Veterans Commission shall jointly develop a one-page
informational paper about veterans services provided by this state
for veterans who receive]:
(A) [(1)] a driver’s license with a designation
under Section 521.1235; or
(B) [(2)] a personal identification certificate
with a designation under Section 521.102; or
(2) a person who:
(A) served in the United States armed forces,
including their reserve components, an auxiliary service of one of
the branches of the armed forces, or the state military forces as
defined by Section 437.001, Government Code; and
(B) did not request or is not eligible for a
designation described by Subdivision (1).
(b) The department shall provide to each applicant for an
original, renewal, corrected, or duplicate driver’s license or
personal identification certificate the opportunity to voluntarily
indicate for the purposes of this section that the person is a
veteran. The department shall acknowledge that:
(1) providing this information is optional; and
(2) this information will remain confidential and will
be used only to:
(A) provide the applicant with a one-page
informational paper about veterans services provided by this state;
and
(B) provide notification of the applicant’s
veteran status to the Texas Veterans Commission, which may contact
the applicant to connect the applicant with available services.
(c) The department and the Texas Veterans Commission shall
jointly develop a process to enable the department to share with the
Texas Veterans Commission a person’s name, veteran status, and
residence address received under Subsection (b). The Texas
Veterans Commission may contact the person to connect the person
with veterans services provided by this state. Information
received by the department and the Texas Veterans Commission under
this section is confidential and not subject to disclosure under
Chapter 552, Government Code.
(d) The department and the Texas Veterans Commission shall:
(1) jointly develop a one-page informational paper
about veterans services provided by this state; and
(2) provide the informational paper to each person who
voluntarily indicates to the department under Subsection (b) that
the person is a veteran.
SECTION 7. Sections 521.102(c) and 521.1235(c),
Transportation Code, are repealed.
SECTION 8. The change in law made by this Act to Section
13.122(a), Election Code, applies only to a voter registration
application distributed on or after September 1, 2025. A voter
registration application distributed before September 1, 2025, is
covered by the law in effect when the application was distributed,
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 9. Section 521.011, Transportation Code, as amended
by this Act, applies only to an application for a driver’s license
or personal identification certificate issued or renewed on or
after the effective date of this Act. An application for a driver’s
license or personal identification certificate issued or renewed
before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in
effect when the license or certificate was issued or renewed, and
the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 10. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
