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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the facilitation of voting by persons confined in |
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certain jails. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Title 16, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Chapter 279 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 279. ENFRANCHISEMENT OF PERSONS CONFINED IN JAIL |
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Sec. 279.001. APPLICABILITY. This chapter applies to a |
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person confined in a city or county jail. |
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Sec. 279.002. NOTICE OF VOTING RIGHTS. (a) The secretary |
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of state shall prescribe a written notice to be provided to each |
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person confined in a city or county jail that states: |
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(1) that persons eligible to vote may vote an absentee |
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ballot from jail; |
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(2) the upcoming election dates; and |
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(3) the voter registration deadlines and absentee |
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ballot request deadlines applicable to the upcoming elections. |
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(b) The notice must be printed in English, Spanish, |
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Vietnamese, and Mandarin. On the request of a person who does not |
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speak one of these languages, a translation of the notice into the |
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person's primary language must be provided. |
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(c) The secretary of state shall adopt rules relating to the |
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provision of the notice prescribed under this section to ensure |
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that the notice is visible and accessible to persons confined in the |
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jail. |
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Sec. 279.003. VOTING MATERIALS. (a) The officially |
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prescribed application form for registration by mail shall be made |
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available to persons confined in jail who are eligible to register |
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to vote. The officially prescribed application form for an early |
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voting ballot shall be made available to persons confined in jail |
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who are qualified voters. |
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(b) The authority in charge of the jail shall facilitate the |
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proper delivery of voter registration applications, applications |
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for ballots to be voted by mail, and marked ballots to eligible |
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persons and is responsible for the payment of any required postage. |
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(c) The secretary of state may adopt any rules necessary to |
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implement this section. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |