By Nelson S.B. No. 45
75R1418 GGS-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the period for early voting by personal appearance.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 85.001, Election Code, is amended to read
1-5 as follows:
1-6 Sec. 85.001. EARLY VOTING PERIOD. (a) The period for early
1-7 voting by personal appearance begins on the 10th [20th] day before
1-8 election day and continues through the fourth day before election
1-9 day, except as otherwise provided by this section.
1-10 (b) [For a special runoff election for the office of state
1-11 senator or state representative or for a runoff primary election,
1-12 the period begins on the 10th day before election day.]
1-13 [(c)] If the date prescribed by Subsection (a) [or (b)] for
1-14 beginning the period is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state holiday,
1-15 the period begins on the next regular business day.
1-16 (c) [(d)] If because of the date for which an election is
1-17 ordered it is not possible to begin early voting by personal
1-18 appearance on the prescribed date, the early voting period shall
1-19 begin on the earliest date practicable after the prescribed date as
1-20 set by the authority ordering the election.
1-21 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
1-22 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-23 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-24 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-1 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-2 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.