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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the provision of a candidate's campaign mailing address |
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and electronic mail address in the candidate's application for a |
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place on the ballot. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 141.031(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A candidate's application for a place on the ballot that |
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is required by this code must: |
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(1) be in writing; |
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(2) be signed and sworn to by the candidate and |
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indicate the date that the candidate swears to the application; |
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(3) be timely filed with the appropriate authority; |
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and |
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(4) include: |
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(A) the candidate's name; |
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(B) the candidate's occupation; |
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(C) the office sought, including any place number |
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or other distinguishing number; |
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(D) an indication of whether the office sought is |
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to be filled for a full or unexpired term if the office sought and |
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another office to be voted on have the same title but do not have |
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place numbers or other distinguishing numbers; |
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(E) a statement that the candidate is a United |
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States citizen; |
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(F) a statement that the candidate has not been |
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determined by a final judgment of a court exercising probate |
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jurisdiction to be: |
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(i) totally mentally incapacitated; or |
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(ii) partially mentally incapacitated |
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without the right to vote; |
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(G) a statement that the candidate has not been |
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finally convicted of a felony from which the candidate has not been |
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pardoned or otherwise released from the resulting disabilities; |
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(H) the candidate's date of birth; |
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(I) the candidate's residence address or, if the |
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residence has no address, the address at which the candidate |
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receives mail and a concise description of the location of the |
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candidate's residence; |
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(J) the candidate's length of continuous |
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residence in the state and in the territory from which the office |
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sought is elected as of the date the candidate swears to the |
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application; |
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(K) the statement: "I, __________, of |
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__________ County, Texas, being a candidate for the office of |
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__________, swear that I will support and defend the constitution |
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and laws of the United States and of the State of Texas"; [and] |
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(L) a statement that the candidate is aware of |
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the nepotism law, Chapter 573, Government Code; |
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(M) a mailing address and any available |
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electronic mail address at which the candidate receives |
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correspondence relating to the candidate's campaign; and |
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(N) if the candidate maintains a |
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campaign-related website, the website address. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 172, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 172.0221 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 172.0221. NOTICE TO CANDIDATE REGARDING POSTING OF |
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CERTAIN INFORMATION. The authority with whom an application is |
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filed must inform the candidate that the candidate's mailing |
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address and, if provided on the application, the candidate's |
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electronic mail address and campaign-related website address will |
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be posted by the secretary of state on the secretary's publicly |
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viewable website. |
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SECTION 3. Section 172.028(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c), the state chair |
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shall certify to the secretary of state for placement on the general |
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primary election ballot the name of each candidate who files with |
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the chair an application that complies with Section 172.021(b). |
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The secretary of state shall post on the secretary's Internet |
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website that is viewable by the public: |
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(1) the certified list; and |
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(2) for each certified candidate: |
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(A) the mailing address and, if provided by the |
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candidate, the electronic mail address at which the candidate |
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receives correspondence relating to the candidate's campaign; and |
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(B) if provided by the candidate, the website |
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address of any campaign-related website maintained by the |
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candidate. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |