| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to certain high school students serving as early voting |
|
|
clerks in an election. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 25.087, Education Code, is amended by |
|
|
adding Subsections (b-1) and (e) and amending Subsection (d) to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
(b-1) A school district may adopt a policy excusing a |
|
|
student from attending school for service as a student early voting |
|
|
clerk in an election. |
|
|
(d) A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b), |
|
|
(b-1), (b-2), or (c) may not be penalized for that absence and shall |
|
|
be counted as if the student attended school for purposes of |
|
|
calculating the average daily attendance of students in the school |
|
|
district. A student whose absence is excused under Subsection (b), |
|
|
(b-1), [or] (b-2), or (c) shall be allowed a reasonable time to make |
|
|
up school work missed on those days. If the student satisfactorily |
|
|
completes the school work, the day of absence shall be counted as a |
|
|
day of compulsory attendance. |
|
|
(e) A school district may excuse a student for the purposes |
|
|
provided by Subsections (b)(1)(E) and (b-1) for a maximum of two |
|
|
days in a school year. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 33.092, Education Code, is amended to |
|
|
read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 33.092. STUDENT ELECTION CLERKS AND EARLY VOTING |
|
|
CLERKS. A student who is appointed as a student election clerk |
|
|
under Section 32.0511, Election Code, or as a student early voting |
|
|
clerk under Section 83.012, Election Code, may apply the time |
|
|
served as a student election clerk or student early voting clerk |
|
|
toward: |
|
|
(1) a requirement for a school project at the |
|
|
discretion of the teacher who assigned the project; or |
|
|
(2) a service requirement for participation in an |
|
|
advanced academic course program at the discretion of the program |
|
|
sponsor or a school-sponsored extracurricular activity at the |
|
|
discretion of the school sponsor. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Subchapter A, Chapter 83, Election Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 83.012 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 83.012. STUDENT EARLY VOTING CLERKS. (a) The early |
|
|
voting clerk may appoint student early voting clerks as necessary |
|
|
to assist the early voting clerk. |
|
|
(b) A person is eligible to serve as a student early voting |
|
|
clerk under this section if the person is ineligible to serve as a |
|
|
clerk of an election precinct under Section 32.051(c) but meets the |
|
|
eligibility requirements to be a student election clerk under |
|
|
Section 32.0511. |
|
|
(c) A student early voting clerk serving under this section: |
|
|
(1) is entitled to compensation under Section 83.052 |
|
|
in the same manner as other early voting clerks; and |
|
|
(2) when communicating with a voter who cannot |
|
|
communicate in English, may communicate with the voter in a |
|
|
language the voter and the clerk understand as authorized by |
|
|
Subchapter B, Chapter 61. |
|
|
(d) Not more than four student early voting clerks may serve |
|
|
at an early voting polling place. |
|
|
(e) The secretary of state may initiate or assist in the |
|
|
development of a statewide program promoting the use of student |
|
|
early voting clerks appointed under this section. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |