77R12647 PAM-D By Madden, Hochberg H.B. No. 563 Substitute the following for H.B. No. 563: By Madden C.S.H.B. No. 563 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to certain practices and procedures involved with a 1-3 polling place used in an election. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 43, Election Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Subchapter C to read as follows: 1-7 SUBCHAPTER C. INFORMATION REGARDING LOCATION OF POLLING PLACE 1-8 Sec. 43.061. NOTICE OF CHANGE OF LOCATION OF POLLING PLACE. 1-9 (a) This section applies only to a general or special election 1-10 that is ordered by the governor or the county judge. 1-11 (b) If the location of a polling place changes after notice 1-12 of an election is given under Section 4.003, the county clerk shall 1-13 give notice of the change not later than the earlier of: 1-14 (1) 24 hours after the location is changed; or 1-15 (2) 24 hours before the polls open on election day. 1-16 (c) Notice required by Subsection (b) must be given by: 1-17 (1) notifying each candidate whose name appears on the 1-18 ballot in the election; or 1-19 (2) posting the notice in a listing used specifically 1-20 to inform the public of changes to the location of a polling place 1-21 on any Internet website that the county clerk maintains to provide 1-22 information on elections held in the county. 1-23 Sec. 43.062. NOTICE AT PREVIOUS POLLING PLACE. If the 1-24 location of the polling place for an election precinct is different 2-1 from the location used for the precinct in the preceding election 2-2 ordered by the same authority, the authority responsible for giving 2-3 notice of the election shall, if possible, post notice at the 2-4 entrance to the previous polling place stating that the location 2-5 has changed and providing the location of the new polling place. 2-6 Sec. 43.063. USE OF COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION. In an 2-7 election in which detailed poll location information is available 2-8 at a polling place through a computer, an election officer shall 2-9 provide that information to assist voters in determining the 2-10 correct polling place location for the voter's election precinct. 2-11 SECTION 2. Section 62.001, Election Code, is amended to read 2-12 as follows: 2-13 Sec. 62.001. OFFICERS TO ASSEMBLE. (a) On election day, the 2-14 presiding judge and the election clerks the judge assigns to assist 2-15 with preparing the polling place shall meet at the polling place in 2-16 time to prepare it to receive the voters. 2-17 (b) If the polling place is left unattended at any time 2-18 after the preparations for voting begin, the presiding judge shall 2-19 take appropriate steps to provide for the security of the polling 2-20 place. This subsection does not affect the security requirements 2-21 for a polling place after the polls open. 2-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.