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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to elections. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 18.069, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 18.069. VOTING HISTORY. (a) Not later than the 30th |
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day after the date of the primary, runoff primary, or general |
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election or any special election ordered by the governor, the |
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registrar shall electronically submit to the secretary of state the |
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record of each voter participating in the election. The record must |
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include a notation of whether the voter: |
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(1) voted on election day;[,] |
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(2) voted early by personal appearance;[,] |
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(3) voted early by mail under Chapter 86;[, or] |
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(4) voted early by mail under Chapter 101; or |
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(5) voted provisionally and the reason the voter cast |
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a provisional ballot. |
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(b) The secretary of state shall adopt rules to implement |
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this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 33.035, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 33.035. INELIGIBILITY OF PERSON CONVICTED OF ELECTION |
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OFFENSE. A person is ineligible to serve as a watcher in an |
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election if the person has been finally convicted of: |
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(1) a felony; or |
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(2) an offense in connection with conduct directly |
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attributable to an election. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.014(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) A person may not use any mechanical or electronic means |
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to record [of recording] images or sound within 100 feet of a voting |
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station except that a person occupying a voting station may use a |
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mechanical or electronic device to photograph the person's |
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completed ballot. |
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SECTION 4. Section 62.0111(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) The secretary of state shall prescribe the wording of a |
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notice posted under this section, which may include a description |
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of the exception provided by Section 61.014(b). |
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SECTION 5. Section 85.072, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (f) to read as follows: |
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(f) The early voting clerk shall provide a current copy of |
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the register for posting on the Internet website of the authority |
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ordering the election, if the authority maintains a website, each |
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day early voting is conducted. At a minimum, the voter registration |
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number for each voter listed in the register must be posted. |
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SECTION 6. Title 16, Election Code, is amended by adding |
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Chapter 279 to read as follows: |
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CHAPTER 279. CYBERSECURITY OF ELECTION SYSTEMS |
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Sec. 279.001. DEFINITION. In this chapter, "election data" |
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means voter registration information and other election-related |
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documents, systems, and technology. |
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Sec. 279.002. ELECTION CYBERSECURITY: SECRETARY OF |
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STATE. (a) The secretary of state shall adopt rules establishing |
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best practices for the electronic storage and security of election |
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data. |
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(b) The secretary of state shall offer training on best |
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practices: |
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(1) on an annual basis, to all appropriate personnel |
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in the secretary of state's office; and |
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(2) on request, to county election officers in this |
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state. |
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(c) If the secretary of state becomes aware of a breach of |
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cybersecurity that impacts election data, the secretary shall |
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immediately notify the members of the standing committees of each |
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house of the legislature with jurisdiction over elections. |
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Sec. 279.003. ELECTION CYBERSECURITY: VOTER REGISTRARS |
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AND COUNTY CLERKS. (a) A voter registrar or county clerk shall |
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request training on cybersecurity: |
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(1) from the secretary of state; and |
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(2) on an annual basis from another provider of |
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cybersecurity training, if the registrar or clerk has available |
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state funds for that purpose. |
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(b) If a voter registrar or county clerk becomes aware of a |
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breach of cybersecurity that impacts election data, the registrar |
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or clerk shall immediately notify the secretary of state. |
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(c) To the extent that state funds are available for the |
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purpose, a voter registrar or county clerk shall implement endpoint |
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security to ensure that all devices with access to election data |
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comply to the highest extent possible with rules adopted by the |
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secretary of state under Section 279.002. |
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SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |