87R6470 BRG-D
 
  By: Paul H.B. No. 3280
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to election integrity; creating a criminal offense.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 32.007(f), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (f)  A person who is appointed as a replacement for a judge
  originally appointed under Section 32.002 must be affiliated or
  aligned with the same political party as was the original judge, if
  possible, and the appointing authority shall make a reasonable
  effort to consult with the party chair of the appropriate political
  party before making an appointment under this section. A person who
  is appointed as a replacement for a judge originally appointed
  under Section 32.002 may not be related within the second degree by
  affinity or the third degree by consanguinity, as determined under
  Subchapter B, Chapter 573, Government Code, to a person appointed
  as an election clerk in the same election precinct.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter A, Chapter 32, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 32.013 to read as follows:
         Sec. 32.013.  PROHIBITION ON APPOINTING RELATIVE OF
  PRESIDING JUDGE AS ALTERNATE PRESIDING JUDGE. The authority
  responsible for appointing an alternate presiding judge for an
  election precinct may not appoint a person who is related within the
  second degree by affinity or the third degree by consanguinity, as
  determined under Subchapter B, Chapter 573, Government Code, to the
  person appointed as presiding judge for the election precinct.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 32, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 32.036 and 32.037 to read as follows:
         Sec. 32.036.  PROHIBITION ON APPOINTING RELATIVES AS
  ELECTION CLERKS. The presiding judge may not appoint a person as an
  election clerk if the person is related within the second degree by
  affinity or the third degree by consanguinity, as determined under
  Subchapter B, Chapter 573, Government Code, to:
               (1)  the presiding judge; or
               (2)  another person appointed as an election clerk for
  the same election precinct.
         Sec. 32.037.  NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT. Not later than the day
  before election day, the presiding judge shall provide written
  notice of the appointment to the person. The notice must state:
               (1)  the nature and date of the election;
               (2)  the hours that the election clerk will serve;
               (3)  the location of the polling place where the
  election clerk will serve; and
               (4)  the name, e-mail address, and telephone number of
  the presiding judge and alternate presiding judge.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter A, Chapter 85, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Sections 85.0092 and 85.0093 to read as follows:
         Sec. 85.0092.  PROHIBITION ON APPOINTMENT OF RELATIVE OF
  ELECTION OFFICER. The early voting clerk may not appoint an
  election officer for an early voting polling place who is related
  within the second degree by affinity or the third degree by
  consanguinity, as determined under Subchapter B, Chapter 573,
  Government Code, to another person appointed as an election officer
  for the same polling place.
         Sec. 85.0093.  NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT. Not later than the
  beginning of the period for early voting by personal appearance,
  the early voting clerk shall provide written notice to each person
  appointed as an election officer stating:
               (1)  the nature and date of the election;
               (2)  the dates and hours that the election officer will
  serve;
               (3)  the location of the polling place where the
  election officer will serve; and
               (4)  the name, e-mail address, and telephone number of
  the presiding judge and alternate presiding judge of the polling
  place where the election officer will serve.
         SECTION 5.  Section 87.002, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsection (e) to read as follows:
         (e)  The authority responsible for appointing a member of the
  early voting ballot board may not appoint a person who is related
  within the second degree by affinity or the third degree by
  consanguinity, as determined under Subchapter B, Chapter 573,
  Government Code, to another person appointed as a member of the
  ballot board.
         SECTION 6.  Subchapter A, Chapter 87, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 87.0041 to read as follows:
         Sec. 87.0041.  NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. The
  authority responsible for appointing a member of the early voting
  ballot board shall provide written notice to each person appointed
  as a member stating:
               (1)  the nature and date of the election;
               (2)  the date, time, and location of the first meeting
  of the ballot board; and
               (3)  the name, e-mail address, and telephone number of
  the presiding judge of the ballot board.
         SECTION 7.  Section 87.006, Election Code, is amended by
  amending Subsections (a) and (b) and adding Subsections (d) and (e)
  to read as follows:
         (a)  A member of the early voting ballot board shall sign a
  document containing the following oath and repeat the [following]
  oath aloud:
         "I swear (or affirm) that I will objectively work to be sure
  every eligible voter's vote is accepted and counted, and that only
  the ballots of those voters who violated the Texas Election Code
  will be rejected. I will make every effort to correctly reflect the
  voter's intent when it can be clearly determined. I will not work
  alone when ballots are present and will work only in the presence of
  a member of a political party different from my own. I will
  faithfully perform my duty as an officer of the election and guard
  the purity of the election. I acknowledge that it is a Class B
  misdemeanor to work alone or not in the presence of a member of a
  political party different from my own when ballots are present, and
  that this offense is punishable by up to 180 days in jail, a fine up
  to $2,000, or both."
         (b)  A member of the early voting ballot board who arrives
  after the oath is made shall sign a document containing the oath and
  repeat the oath aloud before performing any duties as a member.
         (d)  The presiding judge of the early voting ballot board
  shall maintain written proof that each member signed a document
  containing the oath.
         (e)  The secretary of state may modify the oath prescribed by
  this section as necessary for an election in which the authority
  holding the election is a political party or a political
  subdivision holding a nonpartisan election.
         SECTION 8.  Section 87.021, Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 87.021.  BALLOTS AND OTHER MATERIALS DELIVERED TO
  BOARD. The early voting clerk shall deliver to the early voting
  ballot board:
               (1)  in an election in which regular paper ballots are
  used for early voting by personal appearance, each ballot box, in
  accordance with Section 85.032(b), containing the early voting
  ballots voted by personal appearance and the clerk's key to each
  box;
               (2)  the jacket envelopes containing the early voting
  ballots voted by mail, regardless of the ballot type or voting
  system used;
               (3)  the poll lists prepared in connection with early
  voting by personal appearance;
               (4)  the list of registered voters used in conducting
  early voting; [and]
               (5)  a ballot transmittal form that includes a
  statement of the number of early voting ballots voted by mail,
  regardless of the ballot type or voting system used, that are
  delivered to the early voting ballot board, and in an election in
  which regular paper ballots are used for early voting by personal
  appearance, the number of names appearing on the poll lists
  prepared in connection with early voting by personal appearance;
  and
               (6)  one hard-copy report for every two members of the
  early voting ballot board that includes the following information
  for each person who applied for a ballot to be voted by mail:
                     (A)  the person's name;
                     (B)  the person's date of birth;
                     (C)  the person's voter registration number and
  the effective date of the person's voter registration; and
                     (D)  the legal ground for early voting by mail.
         SECTION 9.  Subchapter B, Chapter 87, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 87.0242 to read as follows:
         Sec. 87.0242.  REPORT OF BALLOTS VOTED BY MAIL NOT PROCESSED
  BY EARLY VOTING BALLOT BOARD. (a)  As soon as practicable after the
  deadline for returning marked ballots voted by mail under Section
  86.007(a)(2), the early voting clerk shall prepare a report that
  lists the name and voter registration number of each voter whose
  ballot voted by mail:
               (1)  was received before the deadline under Section
  86.007(a)(2); and
               (2)  has not been accepted or rejected by the early
  voting ballot board.
         (b)  Not later than 24 hours after the deadline for returning
  marked ballots voted by mail under Section 86.007(a)(2), the early
  voting clerk shall make the report accessible to any authority with
  an election on the ballot.
         (c)  Not later than the first meeting of the early voting
  ballot board following the day after election day, the early voting
  clerk shall deliver the report to the presiding judge of the ballot
  board.
         (d)  The early voting ballot board may not accept a ballot
  voted by mail for a voter whose name and registration number does
  not appear in the report delivered under Subsection (c) unless the
  early voting clerk provides an affidavit explaining why the ballot
  should be accepted.
         SECTION 10.  Section 87.027, Election Code, is amended by
  adding Subsections (c-1) and (d-1) to read as follows:
         (c-1)  As soon as practicable after the appropriate
  authority appoints the signature verification committee, the early
  voting clerk shall provide written notice to each person appointed
  as a member of the committee stating:
               (1)  the nature and date of the election;
               (2)  the dates and hours that the committee will meet;
               (3)  the location where the committee will meet; and
               (4)  the name, e-mail address, and telephone number of
  the chair of the committee.
         (d-1)  The authority may not appoint a member of a signature
  verification committee who is related within the second degree by
  affinity or the third degree by consanguinity, as determined under
  Subchapter B, Chapter 573, Government Code, to another member of
  the signature verification committee.
         SECTION 11.  Section 87.041(b), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (b)  A ballot may be accepted only if:
               (1)  the carrier envelope certificate is properly
  executed;
               (2)  neither the voter's signature on the ballot
  application nor the signature on the carrier envelope certificate
  is determined to have been executed by a person other than the
  voter, unless signed by a witness;
               (3)  the voter's ballot application states a legal
  ground for early voting by mail;
               (4)  the voter is registered to vote, if registration
  is required by law;
               (5)  the address to which the ballot was mailed to the
  voter, as indicated by the application, was outside the voter's
  county of residence, if the ground for early voting is absence from
  the county of residence;
               (6)  for a voter to whom a statement of residence form
  was required to be sent under Section 86.002(a), the statement of
  residence is returned in the carrier envelope and indicates that
  the voter satisfies the residence requirements prescribed by
  Section 63.0011; [and]
               (7)  the address to which the ballot was mailed to the
  voter is an address that is otherwise required by Sections 84.002
  and 86.003; and
               (8)  if applicable, the voter's name and voter
  registration number appears on the report prepared under Section
  87.0242.
         SECTION 12.  Subchapter C, Chapter 87, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 87.0432 to read as follows:
         Sec. 87.0432.  PROHIBITION ON HANDLING BALLOTS SEPARATELY.
  (a)  If members of the early voting ballot board are appointed from
  lists submitted by county chairs of different political parties, a
  member of the early voting ballot board may not handle balloting
  materials unless the member is in the presence of a member of the
  board from a different political party.
         (b)  If members of the early voting ballot board are not
  appointed from lists submitted by county chairs of different
  political parties, a member of the early voting ballot board may not
  handle balloting materials unless the member is in the presence of
  another member of the board.
         (c)  A person who violates this section commits an offense.
  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
         SECTION 13.  Section 127.005(e), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (e)  For an election in which election judges appointed under
  Section 32.002 serve, the presiding judge and an alternate
  presiding judge shall be appointed for each central counting
  station operating in the election in the same manner as a presiding
  judge and alternate presiding judge under Sections [Section] 32.002
  and 32.013.
         SECTION 14.  Section 127.006(a), Election Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (a)  Both the manager and the presiding judge may appoint
  clerks to serve at the central counting station. The manager and the
  presiding judge may not appoint a person as a clerk who is related
  within the second degree by affinity or the third degree by
  consanguinity, as determined under Subchapter B, Chapter 573,
  Government Code, to:
               (1)  the manager or presiding judge; or
               (2)  another person appointed as a clerk to serve at the
  central counting station.
         SECTION 15.  Subchapter A, Chapter 127, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 127.008 to read as follows:
         Sec. 127.008.  NOTICE OF APPOINTMENT. As soon as
  practicable after the appointment of an election officer under this
  subchapter, the authority establishing a central counting station
  shall provide written notice to the person appointed as an officer
  stating: 
               (1)  the nature and date of the election;
               (2)  the anticipated dates and times of operation for
  the central counting station where the person will serve; 
               (3)  the location of the central counting station where
  the person will serve; and
               (4)  the name, e-mail address, and telephone number of
  the presiding judge of the central counting station.
         SECTION 16.  Section 573.061, Government Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 573.061.  GENERAL EXCEPTIONS. Section 573.041 does not
  apply to:
               (1)  an appointment to the office of a notary public or
  to the confirmation of that appointment;
               (2)  an appointment of a page, secretary, attendant, or
  other employee by the legislature for attendance on any member of
  the legislature who, because of physical infirmities, is required
  to have a personal attendant;
               (3)  a confirmation of the appointment of an appointee
  appointed to a first term on a date when no individual related to
  the appointee within a degree described by Section 573.002 was a
  member of or a candidate for the legislature, or confirmation on
  reappointment of the appointee to any subsequent consecutive term;
               (4)  an appointment or employment of a bus driver by a
  school district if:
                     (A)  the district is located wholly in a county
  with a population of less than 35,000; or
                     (B)  the district is located in more than one
  county and the county in which the largest part of the district is
  located has a population of less than 35,000;
               (5)  an appointment or employment of a personal
  attendant by an officer of the state or a political subdivision of
  the state for attendance on the officer who, because of physical
  infirmities, is required to have a personal attendant;
               (6)  an appointment or employment of a substitute
  teacher by a school district; or
               (7)  an appointment or employment of a person by a
  municipality that has a population of less than 200 [; or
               [(8)  an appointment of an election clerk under Section
  32.031, Election Code, who is not related in the first degree by
  consanguinity or affinity to an elected official of the authority
  that appoints the election judges for that election].
         SECTION 17.  Section 87.0432, Election Code, as added by
  this Act, applies only to an offense committed on or after the
  effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the
  effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect on the
  date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in
  effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense
  was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element
  of the offense occurred before that date.
         SECTION 18.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.