85R1050 GRM-D
 
  By: Taylor of Collin S.B. No. 2011
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the location and hours for early voting by personal
  appearance.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 85.010(b), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  A political subdivision that holds an election
  described by Subsection (a) shall designate as an early voting
  polling place for the election any early voting polling place[,
  other than a polling place established under Section 85.062(e),]
  established by the county and located in the political subdivision.
         SECTION 2.  Section 85.062, Election Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsection (h) to read
  as follows:
         (a)  Except as provided by Subsection (d) [or (e)], one or
  more early voting polling places other than the main early voting
  polling place may be established by:
               (1)  the commissioners court, for an election in which
  the county clerk is the early voting clerk; or
               (2)  the governing body of the political subdivision
  served by the authority ordering the election, for an election in
  which a person other than the county clerk is the early voting
  clerk.
         (b)  A polling place established under this section may be
  located, subject to Subsection (d), at any place in the territory
  served by the early voting clerk and may be located in any
  stationary structure as directed by the authority establishing the
  branch office. The polling place may be located in a movable
  structure, but the structure may not change locations during the
  early voting period [in the general election for state and county
  officers, general primary election, or runoff primary election].
  Ropes or other suitable objects may be used at the polling place to
  ensure compliance with Section 62.004. Persons who are not
  expressly permitted by law to be in a polling place shall be
  excluded from the polling place to the extent practicable.
         (h)  In an election held by a political subdivision for which
  the ballot includes a proposition seeking voter approval of the
  issuance of bonds, a temporary branch polling place must:
               (1)  remain at the same location for the entire period
  during which early voting by personal appearance is conducted in
  the district; and
               (2)  allow for early voting by personal appearance to
  be conducted during the same days and hours as voting is conducted
  at the main early voting polling place under Section 85.005.
         SECTION 3.  Section 85.063, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 85.063.  DAYS AND HOURS FOR VOTING: PERMANENT OR
  TEMPORARY BRANCH. Early voting by personal appearance at each
  permanent or temporary branch polling place shall be conducted on
  the same days and during the same hours as voting is conducted at
  the main early voting polling place.
         SECTION 4.  Section 85.068(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The early voting clerk shall post notice for each
  election stating any dates and the hours that voting on Saturday or
  Sunday will be conducted at a temporary branch polling place [under
  Section 85.064(d) or 85.065(b)], if the early voting clerk is a
  county clerk or city secretary under Section 83.002 or 83.005.
         SECTION 5.  The following provisions of the Election Code
  are repealed:
               (1)  Section 42.002(c);
               (2)  Section 85.062(e);
               (3)  Section 85.064; and
               (4)  Section 85.065.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.