85R25321 JRJ-D
 
  By: Phillips H.B. No. 2722
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2722:
 
  By:  Laubenberg C.S.H.B. No. 2722
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to early voting by certain persons who have an employment
  hardship.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subtitle B, Title 7, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Chapter 107 to read as follows:
  CHAPTER 107.  EARLY VOTING BY PERSON IN SPECIAL CIRCUMSTANCE
         Sec. 107.001.  APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies only to
  a voter:
               (1)  who is eligible to vote in this state; and
               (2)  whose occupation causes a hardship for the voter:
                     (A)  that prevents the voter from knowing whether
  the voter is able to appear at the polling place on election day or
  during the regular hours for conducting early voting without
  causing a disruption in the operations of the voter's employment;
  or
                     (B)  because the occupation is of a nature that
  causes the voter to be working periodically offshore.
         Sec. 107.002.  FORM AND CONTENTS OF APPLICATION. (a)  The
  secretary of state shall prescribe a unique application for a
  ballot to be voted under this chapter that must include, in addition
  to the information required by the applicable provisions of Section
  84.002:
               (1)  an affidavit certifying the applicant is employed
  in an occupation that causes a hardship for voting, signed by the
  applicant and the applicant's employer or contracting entity; and
               (2)  the address of the applicant's employer or of a
  person related to the applicant within the second degree by
  affinity or the third degree by consanguinity, as determined under
  Chapter 573, Government Code, if that address is different from the
  address at which the applicant is registered to vote.
         (b)  The application must be submitted to the early voting
  clerk not later than the 60th day before election day for the
  applicant to be eligible to vote a ballot under this chapter.
         Sec. 107.003.  VOTING PROCEDURE; PROCESSING RESULTS. (a)
  On submission of an application under this chapter to the early
  voting clerk, the clerk shall review the application and verify the
  applicant's registration status in accordance with the procedure
  applicable to early voting by mail.
         (b)  The voting shall be conducted with the balloting
  materials for early voting by mail.
         (c)  The address to which the balloting materials must be
  addressed is the address at which the voter is registered to vote or
  the address of the applicant's employer or of a person related to
  the applicant within the second degree by affinity or the third
  degree by consanguinity, as determined under Chapter 573,
  Government Code.
         (d)  The voter must mark and seal the ballot in the same
  manner as if early voting by mail.
         (e)  The results shall be processed in accordance with the
  procedures applicable to processing early voting ballots voted by
  mail.
         (f)  Section 86.0015 applies to an application for a ballot
  to be voted under this chapter, notwithstanding Section 86.0015(a).
         Sec. 107.004.  RULES.  The secretary of state shall adopt
  rules to implement this chapter.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.