1-1     By:  Bivins                                           S.B. No. 1832
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed March 23, 1999; March 24, 1999, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
 1-4     April 9, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 9,
 1-5     Nays 0; April 9, 1999, sent to printer.)
 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-7                                   AN ACT
 1-8     relating to the location of polling places and to certain ballots
 1-9     for write-in voting.
1-10           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11           SECTION 1.  Section 43.031, Election Code, is amended by
1-12     adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
1-13           (e)  A polling place may not be located at the residence of a
1-14     person who is:
1-15                 (1)  a candidate for an elective office, including an
1-16     office of a political party; or
1-17                 (2)  related within the third degree by consanguinity
1-18     or the second degree by affinity, as determined under Chapter 573,
1-19     Government Code, to a candidate described by Subdivision (1).
1-20           SECTION 2.  Subchapter C, Chapter 125, Election Code, is
1-21     amended by adding Section 125.0611 to read as follows:
1-22           Sec. 125.0611.  PROVIDING SEPARATE BALLOT PART FOR WRITE-IN
1-23     VOTING.  (a)  If an electronic system ballot includes a separate
1-24     write-in part under Section 124.064, that part shall be provided
1-25     with the electronic system ballot.
1-26           (b)  A voter may not be required to request the separate
1-27     write-in part as a condition to being provided that part.
1-28           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-29           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the
1-30     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-31     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-32     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-33     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-34                                  * * * * *