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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the use of a movable structure as a polling place in a |
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county participating in the countywide polling place program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 43.007, Election Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (q) to read as follows: |
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(q) A movable structure may be designated for use as a |
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polling place by the commissioner's court of a county that |
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participates in the program. |
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SECTION 2. Sections 43.031(b) and (c), Election Code, are |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as otherwise provided by this code, each [Each] |
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polling place shall be located inside a building. |
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(c) A [The] building selected for use as a polling place |
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shall be a public building if practicable. The entity that owns or |
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controls a public building shall make the building available for |
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use as a polling place in any election that covers territory in |
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which the building is located. If more than one authority requests |
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the use of the building for the same day and simultaneous use is |
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impracticable, the entity that owns or controls the building shall |
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determine which authority may use the building. |
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SECTION 3. Section 61.003(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if, during the voting period |
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and within 100 feet of an entrance to [outside door through which a |
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voter may enter] the building or structure in which a polling place |
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is located, the person: |
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(1) loiters; or |
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(2) electioneers for or against any candidate, |
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measure, or political party. |
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SECTION 4. Section 61.007(c), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) Beginning at 9:30 a.m. and at each subsequent two-hour |
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interval through 5:30 p.m., the presiding judge shall post written |
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notice of the total number of voters who have voted in the precinct. |
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The notice shall be posted [at an] outside [door through which a |
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voter may enter the building in which] the polling place [is |
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located]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 62.004, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 62.004. ARRANGING VOTING STATIONS. The voting |
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stations shall be arranged so that: |
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(1) the voting area is in view of the election |
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officers, watchers, and persons waiting to vote but is separated |
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from the persons waiting to vote; |
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(2) unauthorized access to the voting area [through |
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any entrance other than one designated by the presiding judge] is |
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prevented; and |
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(3) the voting area is adequately lighted. |
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SECTION 6. Section 64.001(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) After a voter is accepted for voting, the voter shall |
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select a ballot[, go to a voting station,] and then prepare the |
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ballot at a voting station. |
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SECTION 7. Section 85.036(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) During the time an early voting polling place is open |
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for the conduct of early voting, a person may not electioneer for or |
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against any candidate, measure, or political party in or within 100 |
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feet of an entrance to [outside door through which a voter may |
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enter] the building or structure in which the early voting polling |
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place is located. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |