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                                                                  H.B. No. 1696




AN ACT

relating to the hours of service of a poll watcher on election day.           
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 33.052(a), Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows: 
	[(a)]  A watcher at a precinct polling place may begin 
service at any time after the presiding judge arrives at the polling 
place on election day and may remain at the polling place until the 
presiding judge and the clerks complete their duties there.  A 
watcher that serves for more than five continuous hours may serve at 
the polling place during the hours the watcher chooses, except that 
if the watcher is present at the polling place when ballots are 
counted, the watcher may not leave until the counting is complete
[may not be accepted for service unless the watcher is present at 
the time the polls are opened for voting].
	SECTION 2.  Sections 33.052(b), (c), (d), and (e), Election 
Code, are repealed.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           




______________________________              ______________________________
 
   President of the Senate                               Speaker of the House      

	I certify that H.B. No. 1696 was passed by the House on April 
10, 2003, by a non-record vote; and that the House concurred in 
Senate amendments to H.B. No. 1696 on May 30, 2003, by a non-record 
vote.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                     Chief Clerk of the House   

	
I certify that H.B. No. 1696 was passed by the Senate, with 
amendments, on May 28, 2003, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 
0.

                                                  ______________________________
                                                      Secretary of the Senate   



APPROVED: __________________                                                
 
                Date                                                         




 
         __________________                                              
 
              Governor