By Madden H.B. No. 307
76R619 GGS-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the meaning of electioneering and to the distance
1-3 within which electioneering is prohibited at an early voting
1-4 polling place.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Section 1.005, Election Code, is amended by
1-7 adding Subdivision (25) to read as follows:
1-8 (25) "Electioneering" includes:
1-9 (A) wearing or holding a button, sticker, pin,
1-10 or other paraphernalia, including an article of clothing, relating
1-11 to a candidate, measure, or political party; or
1-12 (B) verbally communicating in any manner with
1-13 the intention of influencing voters.
1-14 SECTION 2. Sections 85.036(a) and (b), Election Code, are
1-15 amended to read as follows:
1-16 (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), during the time
1-17 an early voting polling place is open for the conduct of early
1-18 voting, a person may not electioneer for or against any candidate,
1-19 measure, or political party in or within a certain distance from
1-20 the building or structure in which the early voting polling place
1-21 is located, as follows:
1-22 (1) for a building containing the main early voting
1-23 polling place, a person may not electioneer in the room in which
1-24 the polling place is located or within 100 [30] feet of the
2-1 entrance to the room in which the polling place is located;
2-2 (2) for a building that is also used as a precinct
2-3 polling place, a person may not electioneer within 100 feet of an
2-4 outside door through which a voter may enter the building in which
2-5 the polling place is located; and
2-6 (3) for any other structure, a person may not
2-7 electioneer within 100 [30] feet of the entrance to the voting
2-8 area.
2-9 (b) For a county courthouse, subcourthouse, or courthouse
2-10 annex, a person may not electioneer in the building or within 100
2-11 [30] feet of an outside door through which a voter may enter the
2-12 building in which the polling place is located if the commissioners
2-13 court issues an order to that effect. The order must be recorded
2-14 in the commissioners court's minutes not later than the 10th day
2-15 before the date early voting is to be conducted in the building.
2-16 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
2-17 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
2-18 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
2-19 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
2-20 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-21 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.