The bill, S.B. No. 146, aims to streamline the voter registration process for naturalized United States citizens in Texas. It amends Section 13.002(a) of the Election Code to clarify that individuals wishing to register must submit an application to the county registrar, with the addition of a new Section 13.009 that mandates automatic voter registration for residents who receive a certificate of naturalization from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services. This automatic registration will be facilitated by a procedure established in cooperation with the Department of Public Safety, which will notify county registrars when a naturalization certificate is issued.

Additionally, the bill outlines that if the Department of Public Safety does not receive notification of a naturalization, the individual can present their certificate directly to the county registrar, who is required to assist them in the registration process. The secretary of state is also given the authority to adopt necessary rules for implementing this section. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Election Code 13.002, Subchapter A, Chapter , Election Code 13.143 (Subchapter A, Chapter , Election Code 13, Election Code 13)