By Brown                                               S.B. No. 817
         76R7195 DRH-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to certain ballot security procedures.
 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is
 1-5     amended by adding Section 31.0061 to read as follows:
 1-6           Sec. 31.0061.  INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINT BY DEPARTMENT OF
 1-7     PUBLIC SAFETY.  After receiving a complaint alleging criminal
 1-8     conduct in connection with an election, the secretary of state may
 1-9     direct the Department of Public Safety to conduct an investigation
1-10     of the complaint.  At the conclusion of its investigation, the
1-11     department shall report to the secretary with the results of the
1-12     investigation.
1-13           SECTION 2.  Section 127.034, Election Code, is amended by
1-14     adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
1-15           (e)  Removal, sorting, or counting of ballots under this
1-16     section may not occur until after the polling place is closed for
1-17     voting.
1-18           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-19           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.