The department must issue election identification certificates to qualifying applicants, cannot charge a fee for them, and election officers cannot deny voting because someone has this certificate instead of another ID.
Sec. 521A.001. ELECTION IDENTIFICATION CERTIFICATE. (a) The department shall issue an election identification certificate to a person who states that the person is obtaining the certificate for the purpose of satisfying Section 63.001(b), Election Code, and does not have another form of identification described by Section 63.0101(a), Election Code, and: (1) who is a registered voter in this state and presents a valid voter registration certificate; or (2) who is eligible for registration under Section 13.001, Election Code, and submits a registration application to the department. (b) The department may not collect a fee for an election identification certificate or a duplicate election identification certificate issued under this section. (c) An election identification certificate may not be used or accepted as a personal identification certificate. (d) An election officer may not deny the holder of an election identification certificate the ability to vote because the holder has an election identification certificate rather than a driver's license or personal identification certificate issued under this subtitle. (e) An election identification certificate must be similar in form to, but distinguishable in color from, a driver's license and a personal identification certificate. The department may cooperate with the secretary of state in developing the form and appearance of an election identification certificate. (f) The department may require each applicant for an original or renewal election identification certificate to furnish to the department the information required by Section 521.142. (g) The department may cancel and require surrender of an election identification certificate after determining that the holder was not entitled to the certificate or gave incorrect or incomplete information in the application for the certificate. (h) A certificate expires on a date specified by the department, except that a certificate issued to a person 70 years of age or older does not expire. Added by Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 123 (S.B. 14), Sec. 20, eff. January 1, 2012. Amended by: Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 410 (S.B. 5), Sec. 8, eff. January 1, 2018.