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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the requirements for accessibility to voting equipment |
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by persons with disabilities in certain elections. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 61.013(a), Election Code, as added by |
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Chapter 1182 (H.B. 556), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) For an election other than an election of a political |
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subdivision that is held jointly with another election in which a |
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federal office appears on the ballot, the political subdivision is |
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not required to meet the requirements of Section 61.012(a)(1)(C) if |
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the political subdivision: |
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(1) is a county with a population of less than 2,000; |
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(2) is a county with a population of 2,000 or more but |
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less than 5,000, and the county provides at least one voting station |
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that meets the requirements for accessibility under 42 U.S.C. |
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Section 15481(a)(3) on election day; |
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(3) is a county with a population of 5,000 or more but |
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less than 10,000, and the county provides at least one voting |
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station that meets the requirements for accessibility under 42 |
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U.S.C. Section 15481(a)(3) on election day and during the period |
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for early voting by personal appearance; |
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(4) is a county with a population of 10,000 or more but |
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less than 20,000, and the county: |
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(A) makes a showing in the manner provided by |
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Subsection (c) that compliance with Section 61.012(a)(1)(C) |
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constitutes an undue burden on the county; |
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(B) provides at least one voting station that |
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meets the requirements for accessibility under 42 U.S.C. Section |
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15481(a)(3) on election day and during the period for early voting |
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by personal appearance; and |
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(C) provides a mobile voting station that meets |
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the requirements for accessibility under 42 U.S.C. Section |
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15481(a)(3) that during the period for early voting by personal |
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appearance is deployed at least once at each polling place used for |
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early voting by personal appearance; [or] |
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(5) is located in a county described by Subdivision |
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(1), (2), (3), or (4) [Subdivisions (1)-(4)] and meets the same |
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requirements as the county in which the political subdivision is |
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located; or |
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(6) is a political subdivision other than a county and |
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has a population of less than 1,000. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |