Senate Bill 54 advanced in the Senate after lawmakers agreed the Houses amendment to an elections bill risked creating confusion that could be read as enabling same-day voter registration.

Senator Joan Hughes, speaking for SB 54, said the House added language intended to fix an administrative issue when a voter moves within the same county. "The language that was added in the regular session says ... a voter's registration takes effect immediately upon the registrar's receipt of a notice of the voter's change of address ... if the voter changes residence within the same county as the voter's current registration address," Hughes read on the floor and said some election administrators later expressed concern that the wording could be interpreted as allowing same-day registration.

"We don't do same-day registration in Texas," Hughes said. "To remove any concerns or any doubt, the bill before you, Senate Bill 54, strikes that amendment that was added to Senate Bill 2217 and returns the law to the status quo." She said the bill will return the law to how it was before the House language and reaffirm that a voter must register 30 days before an election.

Senator Hinojosa asked about practical effects, and Hughes explained county practices when a voter moves within the county: typically a voter may be given a limited ballot for federal and statewide contests but would not be allowed to vote on local races tied to the old address. "That's the way it is right now," Hughes said, and she said SB 54 preserves that status quo.

The Senate took a roll call on second reading and the bill passed to engrossment, 21 ayes and 6 nays. The caption read: "relating to election procedures regarding accepting a voter with a resident's address that is not current and the immediate effect of a voter's registration." The Senate then passed SB 54 to engrossment after a motion and roll call.

What it does and next steps: The floor sponsor characterized SB 54 as narrowly struck to remove language that might be interpreted as permitting same-day registration; the bill passed to engrossment and will continue through the legislative process.