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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the acceptance of a voter for voting. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 63.001, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsections (g) and (h) to read as follows: |
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(g) An election officer who determines not to accept a voter |
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shall provide the voter with a statement signed by the election |
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officer listing all reasons why that voter was not accepted and the |
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circumstances under which a voter may vote a provisional ballot. |
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The statement shall be on a form prescribed by the secretary of |
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state. The form shall include a list of common reasons for not |
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accepting a voter and a space or box next to each reason to indicate |
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whether the reason applies to the voter, and a space or box to |
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indicate whether the voter was offered the opportunity to cast a |
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provisional ballot. The secretary of state, to the extent |
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practicable, shall prescribe the use of existing forms to provide |
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the statement required by this subsection to minimize the number of |
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forms needed at a polling place. The election officer shall retain a |
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copy of the statement and submit the copy to the general custodian |
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of election records when the election returns are submitted. The |
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copy is a public record. |
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(h) The secretary of state shall study copies of signed |
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statements under Subsection (g) on file with general custodians of |
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election records and shall recommend to the legislature at least |
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biennially any changes to reduce the number of eligible voters not |
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accepted. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |