By:  Campbell (Senate Sponsor - Duncan)                           H.B. No. 2085
	(In the Senate - Received from the House May 7, 2003; 
May 9, 2003, read first time and referred to Committee on State 
Affairs; May 23, 2003, reported favorably by the following vote:  
Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 23, 2003, sent to printer.)


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT


relating to the availability of bilingual clerks for an election.           
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 272.009, Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows:   
	Sec. 272.009.  BILINGUAL ELECTION CLERKS.  (a)  The 
presiding judge of an election precinct subject to Section 272.002 
shall make reasonable efforts to appoint a sufficient number of 
election clerks who are fluent in both English and Spanish to serve 
the needs of the Spanish-speaking voters of the precinct.
	(b)  If the number of election clerks appointed under 
Subsection (a) is insufficient to serve the needs of the 
Spanish-speaking voters in the election, the authority holding the 
election shall appoint at least one clerk who is fluent in both 
English and Spanish to serve at a central location to provide 
assistance for Spanish-speaking voters.  On a primary election day, 
the county chairs of each party holding a primary shall each appoint 
one clerk under this subsection.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                           



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