(1) In SECTION 2 of the bill, in the recital (page 3, line 68), strike "Sections 209.0051 and 209.0056" and substitute "Sections 209.0051, 209.0056, 209.0057, 209.0058, 209.0059, 209.00591, 209.00592, and 209.00593".

(2) In SECTION 2 of the bill, following added Section 209.0056, Property Code (page 6, between lines 2 and 3), insert the following:

Sec. 209.0057. RECOUNT OF VOTES. (a) This section does not apply to a property owners' association that is subject to Chapter 552, Government Code, by application of Section 552.0036, Government Code.

(b) Any owner may, not later than the 15th day after the date of the meeting at which the election was held, require a recount of the votes. A demand for a recount must be submitted in writing either:

(1) by certified mail, return receipt requested, or by delivery by the United States Postal Service with signature confirmation service to the property owners' association's mailing address as reflected on the latest management certificate filed under Section 209.004; or

(2) in person to the property owners' association's managing agent as reflected on the latest management certificate filed under Section 209.004 or to the address to which absentee and proxy ballots are mailed.

(c) The property owners' association shall, at the expense of the owner requesting the recount, retain for the purpose of performing the recount, the services of a person qualified to tabulate votes under this subsection. The association shall enter into a contract for the services of a person who:

(1) is not a member of the association or related to a member of the association board within the third degree by consanguinity or affinity, as determined under Chapter 573, Government Code; and

(A) a current or former:

(ii) county elections administrator;

(iii) justice of the peace; or

(iv) county voter registrar; or

(B) a person agreed on by the association and the persons requesting the recount.

(d) Any recount under Subsection (b) must be performed on or before the 30th day after the date of receipt of a request and payment for a recount in accordance with Subsections (b) and (c). If the recount changes the results of the election, the property owners' association shall reimburse the requesting owner for the cost of the recount. The property owners' association shall provide the results of the recount to each owner who requested the recount. Any action taken by the board in the period between the initial election vote tally and the completion of the recount is not affected by any recount.

Sec. 209.0058. BALLOTS. (a) Any vote cast in an election or vote by a member of a property owners' association must be in writing and signed by the member.

(b) Electronic votes cast under Section 209.00592 constitute written and signed ballots.

Sec. 209.0059. RIGHT TO VOTE. (a) A provision in a dedicatory instrument that would disqualify a property owner from voting in a property owners' association election of board members or on any matter concerning the rights or responsibilities of the owner is void.

(b) This section does not apply to a property owners' association that is subject to Chapter 552, Government Code, by application of Section 552.0036, Government Code.

Sec. 209.00591. BOARD MEMBERSHIP. (a) Except as provided by this section, a provision in a dedicatory instrument that restricts a property owner's right to run for a position on the board of the property owners' association is void.

(b) If a board is presented with written, documented evidence from a database or other record maintained by a governmental law enforcement authority that a board member has been convicted of a felony or crime involving moral turpitude, the board member is immediately ineligible to serve on the board of the property owners' association, automatically considered removed from the board, and prohibited from future service on the board.

(c) The declaration may provide for a period of declarant control of the association during which a declarant, or persons designated by the declarant, may appoint and remove board members and the officers of the association, other than board members or officers elected by members of the property owners' association. Regardless of the period of declarant control provided by the declaration, on or before the 120th day after the date 75 percent of the lots that may be created and made subject to the declaration are conveyed to owners other than a declarant, at least one-third of the board members must be elected by owners other than the declarant. If the declaration does not include the number of lots that may be created and made subject to the declaration, at least one-third of the board members must be elected by owners other than the declarant not later than the 10th anniversary of the date the declaration was recorded.

Sec. 209.00592. VOTING; QUORUM. (a) The voting rights of an owner may be cast or given:

(1) in person or by proxy at a meeting of the property owners' association;

(2) by absentee ballot in accordance with this section;

(3) by electronic ballot in accordance with this section; or

(4) by any method of representative or delegated voting provided by a dedicatory instrument.

(b) An absentee or electronic ballot:

(1) may be counted as an owner present and voting for the purpose of establishing a quorum only for items appearing on the ballot;

(2) may not be counted, even if properly delivered, if the owner attends any meeting to vote in person, so that any vote cast at a meeting by a property owner supersedes any vote submitted by absentee or electronic ballot previously submitted for that proposal; and

(3) may not be counted on the final vote of a proposal if the motion was amended at the meeting to be different from the exact language on the absentee or electronic ballot.

(1) an absentee ballot that contains each proposed action and provides an opportunity to vote for or against each proposed action;

(2) instructions for delivery of the completed absentee ballot, including the delivery location; and

(3) the following language: "By casting your vote via absentee ballot you will forgo the opportunity to consider and vote on any action from the floor on these proposals, if a meeting is held. This means that if there are amendments to these proposals your votes will not be counted on the final vote on these measures. If you desire to retain this ability, please attend any meeting in person. You may submit an absentee ballot and later choose to attend any meeting in person, in which case any in-person vote will prevail."

(d) For the purposes of this section, "electronic ballot" means a ballot:

(2) for which the identity of the property owner submitting the ballot can be confirmed; and

(3) for which the property owner may receive a receipt of the electronic transmission and receipt of the owner's ballot.

(e) If an electronic ballot is posted on an Internet website, a notice of the posting shall be sent to each owner that contains instructions on obtaining access to the posting on the website.

(f) This section supersedes any contrary provision in a dedicatory instrument.

(g) This section does not apply to a property owners' association that is subject to Chapter 552, Government Code, by application of Section 552.0036, Government Code.

Sec. 209.00593. ELECTION OF BOARD MEMBERS. (a) Notwithstanding any provision in a dedicatory instrument, any board member whose term has expired must be elected by owners who are members of the property owners' association. A board member may be appointed by the board only to fill a vacancy caused by a resignation, death, or disability. A board member appointed to fill a vacant position shall serve the unexpired term of the predecessor board member.

(b) The board of a property owners' association may amend the bylaws of the property owners' association to provide for elections to be held as required by Subsection (a).

(d) This section does not apply to the appointment of a board member during a development period. In this subsection, "development period" means a period stated in a declaration during which a declarant reserves:

(1) a right to facilitate the development, construction, and marketing of the subdivision; and

(2) a right to direct the size, shape, and composition of the subdivision.

(e) This section does not apply to a representative board whose members or delegates are elected or appointed by representatives of a property owners' association who are elected by owner members of a property owners' association.

(3) In SECTION 5 of the bill, insert the following appropriately designated subsection and redesignate subsections of the SECTION accordingly:

(_) Section 209.0059 and Subsection (a), Section 209.00591, Property Code, as added by this Act, apply to a provision in a dedicatory instrument or a restrictive covenant enacted before, on, or after the effective date of this Act.

(4) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTION to the bill and renumber SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____. Section 209.003, Property Code, is amended by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:

(e) The following provisions of this chapter do not apply to a property owners' association that is a mixed-use master association that existed before January 1, 1974, and that does not have the authority under a dedicatory instrument or other governing document to impose fines: