78R6251 JRJ-D

By:  Baxter                                                       H.B. No. 2914



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the time within which ballots for early voting by mail 
must be mailed to a voter.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 86.004, Election Code, is amended to 
read as follows:    
	Sec. 86.004.  TIME FOR PROVIDING BALLOT TO VOTER. The 
balloting materials for voting by mail shall be mailed to a voter 
entitled to vote by mail not later than the second day after the 
later of the date the clerk accepts the voter's application for a 
ballot to be voted by mail or the date [voters as soon as 
practicable after] the ballots become available, except that if 
that mailing date is [but not] earlier than the 45th day before 
election day, the balloting materials shall be mailed on the 45th 
day before election day.
	SECTION 2.  (a)  This Act takes effect September 1, 2003.                      
	(b)  The change in law made by this Act to Section 86.004, 
Election Code, applies only to an application to vote an early 
voting ballot by mail submitted for an election that is ordered on 
or after the effective date of this Act.