| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the alteration of voting standards, practices, or |
|
|
procedures. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 1, Election Code, is amended by adding |
|
|
Section 1.022 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 1.022. ALTERATION OF VOTING STANDARDS, PRACTICES, OR |
|
|
PROCEDURES. (a) An election official of a political subdivision |
|
|
seeking to alter, in response to a pandemic disaster, any voting |
|
|
standard, practice, or procedure in a manner not otherwise |
|
|
expressly authorized by this code, must first obtain approval of |
|
|
the proposed alteration from the secretary of state by submitting a |
|
|
written request for approval to the secretary of state. |
|
|
(b) The secretary of state by written order may approve a |
|
|
proposed alteration requested under Subsection (a). An election |
|
|
official of a political subdivision may not alter any voting |
|
|
standard, practice, or procedure in a manner not otherwise |
|
|
expressly authorized by this code without a written order of |
|
|
approval from the secretary of state. |
|
|
(c) The secretary of state may not approve a request under |
|
|
Subsection (a) or (b) unless a condition directly caused by the |
|
|
disaster which is the subject of a disaster declaration under |
|
|
Chapter 418, Government Code, or another law authorizing the |
|
|
declaration of a disaster, has made the conduct of the election |
|
|
infeasible in the absence of the alteration. |
|
|
(d) In the absence of the governor's disaster declaration, |
|
|
an election official of a political subdivision may not alter any |
|
|
voting standard, practice, or procedure in a manner not otherwise |
|
|
expressly authorized by this code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |