By Yarbrough                                          H.B. No. 1509
         76R5669 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to the manual counting of electronic voting system
 1-3     ballots.
 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-5           SECTION 1.  Sections 127.130(d) and (e), Election Code, are
 1-6     amended to read as follows:
 1-7           (d)  In [Subject to Subsection (e), in] any manual count
 1-8     conducted under this code, a vote on a ballot on which a voter
 1-9     indicates a vote by punching a hole in the ballot may not be
1-10     counted unless:
1-11                 (1)  at least two corners of the chad are detached; or
1-12                 (2)  light is visible through the hole[;]
1-13                 [(3)  an indentation on the chad from the stylus or
1-14     other object is present and indicates a clearly ascertainable
1-15     intent of the voter to vote; or]
1-16                 [(4)  the chad reflects by other means a clearly
1-17     ascertainable intent of the voter to vote].
1-18           [(e)  Subsection (d) does not supersede any clearly
1-19     ascertainable intent of the voter.]
1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-21           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-22     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-23     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-24     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
 2-1     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.