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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the service of election watchers at a meeting place of a |
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signature verification committee. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 33.004(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) To be eligible to participate in the appointment under |
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this section of a watcher for a precinct polling place, a person |
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must be a registered voter of the precinct. To be eligible to |
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participate in the appointment under this section of a watcher for |
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an early voting polling place, the meeting place of an early voting |
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ballot board or signature verification committee, or a central |
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counting station, a person must be a registered voter of the |
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territory served by that facility. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 33.007(a) and (c), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(a) Each appointing authority may appoint not more than two |
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watchers for each precinct polling place, meeting place for an |
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early voting ballot board or signature verification committee, or |
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central counting station involved in the election. |
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(c) In an election in which the election officers serving at |
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a precinct polling place also serve as an early voting ballot board |
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or signature verification committee, a watcher who is appointed for |
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the precinct polling place may observe the processing of early |
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voting ballots by the early voting ballot board or signature |
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verification committee, or separate watchers may be appointed to |
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observe only that activity. |
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SECTION 3. Section 33.051(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A watcher appointed to serve at a precinct polling |
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place, a meeting place for an early voting ballot board or signature |
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verification committee, or a central counting station must deliver |
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a certificate of appointment to the presiding judge at the time the |
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watcher reports for service. A watcher appointed to serve at an |
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early voting polling place must deliver a certificate of |
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appointment to the early voting clerk or deputy clerk in charge of |
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the polling place when the watcher first reports for service. |
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SECTION 4. Section 33.060(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) On request of a watcher, an election officer who |
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delivers election records from a precinct polling place, an early |
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voting polling place, a meeting place for an early voting ballot |
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board or signature verification committee, or a central counting |
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station shall permit the watcher appointed to serve at that |
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location to accompany the officer in making the delivery. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect on the 91st day after the |
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last day of the legislative session. |