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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the establishment of Voter Education Month for public |
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school students in grade 12. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter Z, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.921 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.921. HIGH SCHOOL VOTER EDUCATION MONTH. (a) To |
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educate high school seniors about the importance of voting to a |
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healthy democracy, each school district and open-enrollment |
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charter school offering grade 12 shall designate one month during |
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the school year as Voter Education Month. |
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(b) During Voter Education Month, each high school campus |
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and open-enrollment charter school shall provide eligible students |
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an opportunity to register to vote at the campus. |
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(c) At the request of the principal of a high school or an |
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officer of an open-enrollment charter school, the voter registrar |
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designated under Chapter 12, Election Code, for the county in which |
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the campus is located shall assist in the registration of eligible |
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students. |
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(d) A school district or open-enrollment charter school |
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offering grade 12, in consultation with the voter registrar |
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designated under Chapter 12, Election Code, for the county in which |
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the district or campus is located, may develop a nonpartisan voter |
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education program to present to high school seniors during Voter |
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Education Month. |
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(e) A voter education program developed under Subsection |
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(d) must provide information regarding: |
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(1) the importance of voting; |
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(2) balloting procedures and voting systems used in |
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this state; |
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(3) election dates and polling hours and locations; |
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and |
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(4) procedures for early voting. |
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SECTION 2. This Act applies beginning with the 2013-2014 |
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school year. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |