77R12256 GGS-F
By Madden H.B. No. 2693
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2693:
By Madden C.S.H.B. No. 2693
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the meaning of electioneering and to the distance
1-3 within which electioneering is prohibited at a polling place.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 1.005, Election Code, is amended by
1-6 adding Subdivision (25) to read as follows:
1-7 (25) "Electioneering" includes:
1-8 (A) wearing or holding a button, sticker, pin,
1-9 or other paraphernalia, including an article of clothing, relating
1-10 to a candidate, measure, or political party; or
1-11 (B) verbally communicating in any manner with
1-12 the intention of influencing voters.
1-13 SECTION 2. Section 61.003(a), Election Code, is amended to
1-14 read as follows:
1-15 (a) A person commits an offense if, during the voting period
1-16 and within 50 [100] feet of an outside door through which a voter
1-17 may enter the building in which a polling place is located, the
1-18 person:
1-19 (1) loiters; or
1-20 (2) electioneers for or against any candidate,
1-21 measure, or political party.
1-22 SECTION 3. Section 61.010(a), Election Code, is amended to
1-23 read as follows:
1-24 (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a person may not
2-1 wear a badge, insignia, emblem, or other similar communicative
2-2 device relating to a candidate, measure, or political party
2-3 appearing on the ballot, or to the conduct of the election, in the
2-4 polling place or within 50 [100] feet of any outside door through
2-5 which a voter may enter the building in which the polling place is
2-6 located.
2-7 SECTION 4. Sections 85.036(a) and (b), Election Code, are
2-8 amended to read as follows:
2-9 (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), during the time
2-10 an early voting polling place is open for the conduct of early
2-11 voting, a person may not electioneer for or against any candidate,
2-12 measure, or political party in or within a certain distance from
2-13 the building or structure in which the early voting polling place
2-14 is located, as follows:
2-15 (1) for a building containing the main early voting
2-16 polling place, a person may not electioneer in the room in which
2-17 the polling place is located or within 50 [30] feet of the entrance
2-18 to the room in which the polling place is located;
2-19 (2) for a building that is also used as a precinct
2-20 polling place, a person may not electioneer within 50 [100] feet of
2-21 an outside door through which a voter may enter the building in
2-22 which the polling place is located; and
2-23 (3) for any other structure, a person may not
2-24 electioneer within 50 [30] feet of the entrance to the voting area.
2-25 (b) For a county courthouse, subcourthouse, or courthouse
2-26 annex, a person may not electioneer in the building or within 50
2-27 [30] feet of an outside door through which a voter may enter the
3-1 building in which the polling place is located if the commissioners
3-2 court issues an order to that effect. The order must be recorded
3-3 in the commissioners court's minutes not later than the 10th day
3-4 before the date early voting is to be conducted in the building.
3-5 SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.