(1) Add the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumber subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:

SECTION ____. Effective September 1, 2011, Chapter 82, Election Code, is amended by adding Section 82.006 to read as follows:

Sec. 82.006. PERMANENT MAIL VOTER STATUS. (a) A qualified voter is eligible for permanent mail voter status if:

(1) the voter is disabled, as defined by secretary of state rule under Subsection (c); and

(2) the voter's name is not on the suspense list.

(b) A voter having permanent mail voter status is entitled to receive a ballot to be voted by mail for every election other than a primary election.

(c) The secretary of state shall by rule define "disabled" for purposes of determining eligibility for permanent mail voter status.

SECTION ____. Effective September 1, 2011, Chapter 84, Election Code, is amended by adding Subchapter C to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER C. APPLICATION FOR PERMANENT MAIL VOTER STATUS

Sec. 84.101. METHOD OF APPLICATION. (a) A qualified voter seeking permanent mail voter status may apply for the status at the time the voter registers to vote or at a polling place on election day or during early voting by personal appearance.

(b) The secretary of state shall adopt rules and forms to implement this section.

Sec. 84.102. SUBMITTING APPLICATION. An application indicating that the voter seeks to acquire permanent mail voter status is considered submitted for the first election following the date the application is submitted. A voter may not attain permanent mail voter status for that election unless the voter timely submits the application to a voter registrar within the time provided by Subchapter A.

Sec. 84.103. ACTION BY VOTER REGISTRAR. (a) If a qualified voter eligible for permanent mail voter status submits an application under Section 84.101 stating a valid ground of eligibility, the voter registrar receiving the application shall:

(1) place the voter's name on a list of permanent mail voters; and

(2) notify the early voting clerks serving every authority that orders elections in the registrar's jurisdiction of the voter's permanent mail voter status.

(b) If the early voting clerk serving an authority receives notice under Subsection (a)(2), the early voting clerk and the clerk's successors shall provide a ballot to be voted by mail to the voter as required by this code for each general and special election ordered by the authority.

(c) An early voting clerk may not provide a ballot under Subsection (b) to a voter whose name appears on the suspense list.

Sec. 84.104. CANCELLATION. (a) A voter having permanent mail voter status may cancel an application for a ballot to be voted by mail at any time. The cancellation is effective for an election for which the voter timely cancels the application as provided by Section 84.032 and all subsequent elections. A voter who has canceled the voter's application under this subsection may apply for permanent mail voter status for a subsequent election.

(b) Following cancellation under Subsection (a), the applicable early voting clerk shall notify the early voting clerks serving every authority that orders elections in the clerk's jurisdiction of the cancellation.

Sec. 84.105. ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES. The secretary of state shall:

(1) prescribe any additional procedures necessary to implement this subchapter; and

(2) develop a system of notifying voters who are likely to be eligible for permanent mail voter status of the availability of that status for certain voters and the application procedure for acquiring that status.

SECTION ____. (a) Effective September 1, 2011, the secretary of state shall prescribe any procedures and develop a notification system under Section 84.105, Election Code, as added by this Act, but not later than January 1, 2012.

(b) The changes in law made by Section 82.006 and Subchapter C, Chapter 84, Election Code, as added by this Act, apply only to an election for which an application for a ballot to be voted by mail may not be submitted before January 1, 2012.

(2) In SECTION 23(a) of the bill (page 12, line 19), between "section" and the comma, insert "or as otherwise provided by this Act".