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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to early voting by certain persons who are caretakers of |
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persons with certain disabilities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subtitle B, Title 7, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Chapter 107 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 107. EARLY VOTING BY PERSON IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE |
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Sec. 107.001. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to |
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a person: |
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(1) who is eligible to vote in this state; |
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(2) who is the permanent caretaker of a person who has |
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a disability; and |
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(3) whose presence: |
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(A) is necessary to protect the life or safety of |
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the person who has a disability; and |
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(B) will prevent the caretaker from appearing at |
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the polling place on election day. |
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Sec. 107.002. FORM AND CONTENTS OF APPLICATION. The |
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secretary of state shall prescribe a unique application for a |
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ballot to be voted under this chapter that must: |
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(1) be in the form of an affidavit; and |
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(2) include, in addition to the information required |
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by the applicable provisions of Section 84.002, a certificate of a |
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licensed physician, licensed chiropractor, or accredited Christian |
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Science practitioner in substantially the following form: |
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"This is to certify that I know that (insert name of voter) is |
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the caretaker of a person with a sickness or physical condition that |
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requires the caretaker's presence to protect the life or safety of |
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the person and that this duty will prevent (insert name of voter) |
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from appearing at the polling place for an election held on (insert |
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date of election). |
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"Witness my hand at _________, Texas, this ____ day of |
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__________, 20__. |
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______________________________________________________ |
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(Signature of physician, chiropractor, or practitioner)" |
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Sec. 107.003. VOTING PROCEDURE; PROCESSING RESULTS. (a) |
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On submission of an application under this chapter to the early |
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voting clerk, the clerk shall review the application and verify the |
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applicant's registration status in accordance with the procedure |
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applicable to early voting by mail. |
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(b) The voting shall be conducted with the balloting |
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materials for early voting by mail. |
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(c) The voter must mark and seal the ballot in the same |
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manner as if early voting by mail. |
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(d) The results shall be processed in accordance with the |
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procedures applicable to processing early voting ballots voted by |
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mail. |
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Sec. 107.004. RULES. The secretary of state shall adopt |
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rules to implement this chapter. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |