By Jackson                                       H.B. No. 841

      75R2215 DRH-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to voting procedures for persons on a space flight.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 7, Election Code, is amended by

 1-5     adding Chapter 105 to read as follows:

 1-6        CHAPTER 105. VOTING ON ELECTION DAY BY PERSON ON SPACE FLIGHT

 1-7           Sec. 105.001.  APPLICABILITY.  This chapter applies only to a

 1-8     person who:

 1-9                 (1)  is eligible to vote in this state; and

1-10                 (2)  is unable to vote in an election because the

1-11     person is on a space flight, as defined by the secretary of state,

1-12     on  election day and during the early voting period for the

1-13     election.

1-14           Sec. 105.002.  VOTING PERMITTED.   The secretary of state

1-15     shall prescribe procedures for voting from space on election day by

1-16     secure electronic means by persons to whom this chapter applies.

1-17     The procedures may provide for a deadline by which a person must

1-18     apply to vote under this chapter.

1-19           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-20           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-21     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-22     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-23     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-24     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.