Bill > HB1802

This bill makes several significant changes to voter registration and early voting procedures in Texas, with a focus on strengthening citizenship verification and identification requirements. The bill creates a new criminal offense of illegal voter registration, making it a second-degree felony for a non-U.S. citizen to apply to register to vote. It modifies voter registration application requirements, removing the option to use social security numbers for identification and instead emphasizing driver's license or personal identification card numbers. The bill introduces a mandate for voter registrars to verify an applicant's citizenship and updates various sections of the Election Code to reflect these changes. Beginning September 1, 2025, voters will need to provide a driver's license, election identification certificate, or personal identification card number when registering to vote or requesting mail-in ballots, eliminating the previous option of using social security numbers. The legislation also updates several administrative procedures related to voter registration, early voting ballot applications, and online voter information tools to align with these new identification requirements. Additionally, the bill repeals two existing provisions of the Election Code and includes a clear warning that providing false information to procure voter registration is considered perjury and a crime under state and federal law.

Government Affairs

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&Bill=HB1802