79R8409 DRH-D

By:  Anchia                                                       H.B. No. 2693



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to creating a statewide ballot for a person who casts a  
ballot outside the precinct in which the voter is registered.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Chapter 63, Election Code, is amended by adding 
Section 63.0115 to read as follows:
	Sec. 63.0115.  LIMITED STATEWIDE BALLOT.  (a)  For an 
election involving a statewide office or a measure submitted to the 
voters of this state, the secretary of state shall prescribe the 
form of a limited statewide ballot that contains each statewide 
office to be elected and each measure submitted statewide at the 
election.
	(b)  Instead of casting a provisional vote under Section 
63.011, a person may cast a limited statewide ballot if the person 
is registered to vote in this state but is not on the list of 
registered voters in the precinct in which the voter seeks to cast a 
vote.
	(c)  A limited statewide ballot shall be processed in the 
same manner as a provisional ballot except that the early voting 
ballot board shall accept the ballot under Section 65.054 if the 
board determines the person is a registered voter of this state.
	(d)  The secretary of state shall prescribe procedures as 
necessary to implement the limited statewide ballot authorized by 
this section.
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to an election that is ordered on or after the effective date of 
this Act.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.