87R3399 BRG-D
 
  By: Oliverson H.B. No. 1138
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to electronic tracking of an application for a ballot
  voted by mail or of a ballot voted by mail.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 86, Election Code, is amended by adding
  Section 86.015 to read as follows:
         Sec. 86.015.  ELECTRONIC TRACKING OF APPLICATION FOR BALLOT
  VOTED BY MAIL OR BALLOT VOTED BY MAIL. (a) The secretary of state
  shall develop or otherwise provide an online tool to each early
  voting clerk that enables a person who submits an application for a
  ballot to be voted by mail to track the location and status of the
  person's application and ballot on the secretary's Internet
  website and on the county's Internet website if the early voting
  clerk is the county clerk of a county that maintains an Internet
  website. 
         (b)  An online tool used under this section must update the
  applicable Internet website as soon as practicable after each of
  the following events occurs:
               (1)  receipt by the early voting clerk of the person's
  application for a ballot to be voted by mail;
               (2)  acceptance or rejection by the early voting clerk
  of the person's application for a ballot to be voted by mail;
               (3)  placement in the mail by the early voting clerk of
  the person's official ballot; 
               (4)  receipt by the early voting clerk of the person's
  marked ballot; and
               (5)  acceptance or rejection by the early voting ballot
  board of a person's marked ballot.
         (c)  The secretary of state shall adopt rules and prescribe
  procedures as necessary to implement this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.