By: Sheets H.B. No. 2891
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the provision of a voter's fingerprints with a mailed
  ballot.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 86.002, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (g) to read as follows:
         (g)  The clerk shall include with the balloting materials a
  disposable fingerprint inked strip and instructions for the voter
  to include a thumbprint on the ballot.
         SECTION 2.  Section 86.005(c), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  After marking the ballot, the voter must place it in the
  official ballot envelope and then seal the ballot envelope, place
  the ballot envelope in the official carrier envelope and then seal
  the carrier envelope, and sign the certificate on the carrier
  envelope.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 87, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 87.028 to read as follows:
         Sec. 87.028.  FINGERPRINT VERIFICATION COMMITTEE.  (a)  A
  fingerprint verification committee may be appointed in the same
  manner as a signature verification committee.  A fingerprint
  verification committee may, subject to the same restrictions as the
  signature verification committee with respect to signatures,
  determine whether the fingerprints submitted are that of the voter
  if another sample of the voter's fingerprints is available for
  comparison.
         (b)  The secretary of state may establish methods to obtain
  fingerprints of as many voters as possible for the purpose of this
  section including entering into agreements with the Department of
  Public Safety and other state agencies and governmental entities to
  provide fingerprints.
         SECTION 4.  Section 87.041(b), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  A ballot may be accepted only if:
               (1)  the carrier envelope certificate is properly
  executed;
               (2)  neither the voter's signature on the ballot
  application nor the signature on the carrier envelope certificate
  is determined to have been executed by a person other than the
  voter, unless signed by a witness;
               (3)  the voter's ballot application states a legal
  ground for early voting by mail;
               (4)  the voter is registered to vote, if registration
  is required by law;
               (5)  the address to which the ballot was mailed to the
  voter, as indicated by the application, was outside the voter's
  county of residence, if the ground for early voting is absence from
  the county of residence;
               (6)  for a voter to whom a statement of residence form
  was required to be sent under Section 86.002(a), the statement of
  residence is returned in the carrier envelope and indicates that
  the voter satisfies the residence requirements prescribed by
  Section 63.0011; [and]
               (7)  the address to which the ballot was mailed to the
  voter is an address that is otherwise required by Sections 84.002
  and 86.003; and
               (8)  the voter has submitted a thumbprint, and if a
  fingerprint verification committee was appointed, the thumbprint
  has not been determined to belong to a person other than the voter.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.