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AN ACT
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relating to the procedures for voting ballots by mail. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 86.006, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (g-1) to read as follows: |
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(g-1) When ballots or carrier envelopes are obtained in |
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violation of this section pursuant to one scheme or continuing |
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course of conduct, whether from the same or several sources, the |
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conduct may be considered as one offense and the number of ballots |
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or carrier envelopes aggregated in determining the grade of the |
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offense. |
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SECTION 2. Section 86.014(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A copy of an application for a ballot to be voted by mail |
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is not available for public inspection, except to the voter seeking |
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to verify that the information pertaining to the voter is accurate, |
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until the first business day after [may be obtained from the early
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voting clerk:
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[(1)
72 hours after the time a ballot is mailed to the
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voter; or
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[(2)
48 hours after the time a ballot is mailed to the
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voter if the mailing occurs on the fourth day before] election day. |
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SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2449 was passed by the House on May |
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13, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 112, Nays 16, 2 present, not |
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voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
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No. 2449 on May 26, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 1, |
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2 present, not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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I certify that H.B. No. 2449 was passed by the Senate, with |
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amendments, on May 24, 2011, by the following vote: Yeas 28, Nays |
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3. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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APPROVED: __________________ |
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Date |
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__________________ |
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Governor |