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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the deadline for submitting an application for a ballot |
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to be voted by mail. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 84.007(c), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) Except as provided by Section 86.0015(b), an |
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application may be submitted at any time in the year of the election |
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for which a ballot is requested, but not later than 5 p.m. [the
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close of regular business in the early voting clerk's office or 12
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noon, whichever is later,] on the 11th day before election day |
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unless that day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national |
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holiday, in which case the last day is the first preceding regular |
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business day. For purposes of this subsection, an application for a |
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ballot to be voted by mail deposited in a post office box before the |
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post office box is last inspected for removal of mail on the next |
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business day after the day described above is considered timely |
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submitted. |
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SECTION 2. Section 84.008(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) An applicant for a ballot to be voted by mail may submit |
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the application by delivering it in person to the early voting clerk |
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if the application is submitted not later than 5 p.m. on the 11th |
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day before election day unless that day is a Saturday, Sunday, or |
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legal state or national holiday, in which case the last day is the |
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first preceding regular business day [the close of regular business
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in the clerk's office on the day before the first day of the period
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for early voting by personal appearance]. |
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SECTION 3. Section 86.0015(b-1), Election Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b-1) An application submitted under this section must be |
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submitted before 5 p.m. [the close of regular business in the early
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voting clerk's office or 12 noon, whichever is later,] on the 11th |
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day before election day unless that day is a Saturday, Sunday, or |
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legal state or national holiday, in which case the last day is the |
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first preceding regular business day. For purposes of this |
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subsection, an application for a ballot to be voted by mail |
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deposited in a post office box before the post office box is last |
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inspected for removal of mail on the next business day after the day |
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described above is considered timely submitted. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |