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AN ACT
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relating to the deadline for submitting a federal postcard  | 
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application to the early voting clerk. | 
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       BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
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       SECTION 1.  Subsections (e), (f), and (i), Section 101.004,  | 
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Election Code, are amended to read as follows: | 
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       (e)  An applicant who otherwise complies with applicable  | 
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requirements is entitled to receive a full ballot to be voted by  | 
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mail under this chapter if: | 
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             (1)  the applicant submits a federal postcard  | 
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application to the early voting clerk on or before the 20th [30th]  | 
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day before election day; and | 
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             (2)  the application contains the information that is  | 
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required for registration under Title 2. | 
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       (f)  The applicant is entitled to receive only a federal  | 
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ballot to be voted by mail under Chapter 114 if: | 
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             (1)  the applicant submits the federal postcard  | 
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application to the early voting clerk after the date provided by  | 
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Subsection (e)(1) [30th day before election day] and before the  | 
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sixth day before election day; and | 
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             (2)  the application contains the information that is  | 
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required for registration under Title 2. | 
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       (i)  Except as provided by Subsection (l), for purposes of  | 
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determining the date a federal postcard application is submitted to  | 
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the early voting clerk, an application is considered to be  | 
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submitted on the date it is placed and properly addressed in the  | 
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United States mail.  An application mailed from an Army/Air Force  | 
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Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) is considered placed in  | 
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the United States mail. The date indicated by the post office  | 
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cancellation mark, including a United States military post office  | 
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cancellation mark, is considered to be the date the application was  | 
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placed in the mail unless proven otherwise.  For purposes of an  | 
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application made under Subsection (e): | 
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             (1)  an application that does not contain a  | 
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cancellation mark is considered to be timely if it is received by  | 
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the early voting clerk on or before the 15th [22nd] day before  | 
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election day; and | 
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             (2)  if the 20th [30th] day before the date of an  | 
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election is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday,  | 
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an application is considered to be timely if it is submitted to the  | 
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early voting clerk on or before the next regular business day. | 
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       SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to  | 
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an election held on or after January 1, 2008. | 
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       SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. | 
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______________________________ | 
______________________________ | 
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   President of the Senate | 
Speaker of the House      | 
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       I hereby certify that S.B. No. 361 passed the Senate on  | 
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May 1, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that the  | 
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Senate concurred in House amendment on May 21, 2007, by the  | 
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following vote:  Yeas 30, Nays 0. | 
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______________________________ | 
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Secretary of the Senate     | 
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       I hereby certify that S.B. No. 361 passed the House, with  | 
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amendment, on May 17, 2007, by the following vote:  Yeas 143,  | 
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Nays 0, two present not voting. | 
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______________________________ | 
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Chief Clerk of the House    | 
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Approved: | 
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______________________________  | 
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            Date | 
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______________________________  | 
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          Governor |