1-1 By: Brown S.B. No. 817 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 2, 1999; March 4, 1999, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; 1-4 March 29, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 8, 1-5 Nays 0; March 29, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to certain ballot security procedures. 1-9 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-10 SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is 1-11 amended by adding Section 31.0061 to read as follows: 1-12 Sec. 31.0061. INVESTIGATION OF COMPLAINT BY DEPARTMENT OF 1-13 PUBLIC SAFETY. After receiving a complaint alleging criminal 1-14 conduct in connection with an election, the secretary of state may 1-15 direct the Department of Public Safety to conduct an investigation 1-16 of the complaint. At the conclusion of its investigation, the 1-17 department shall report to the secretary with the results of the 1-18 investigation. 1-19 SECTION 2. Section 127.034, Election Code, is amended by 1-20 adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: 1-21 (e) Removal, sorting, or counting of ballots under this 1-22 section may not occur until after the polling place is closed for 1-23 voting. 1-24 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-25 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-26 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-27 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-28 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-29 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-30 * * * * *