87R10975 MLH-F
 
  By: Bettencourt, et al. S.B. No. 1115
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the time in which early voting is conducted.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 12.004(d), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  If early voting by personal appearance is required to be
  conducted for extended hours under Section 85.005(c) or for weekend
  hours under Section 85.006[(e)], the registrar's office shall
  remain open for providing voter registration information during the
  extended hours or weekend hours that the main early voting polling
  place is open for voting.
         SECTION 2.  Section 85.001(e), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (e)  For an election held on the uniform election date in
  May, or for [and] any [resulting] runoff election resulting from an
  election held on a uniform election date, the period for early
  voting by personal appearance begins on the 12th day before
  election day and continues through the fourth day before election
  day.
         SECTION 3.  Section 85.005(c), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  The [In a county with a population of 100,000 or more,
  the] voting in a primary election or the general election for state
  and county officers shall be conducted at the main early voting
  polling place for [at least] 12 hours on each weekday of the last
  week of the early voting period, and the voting in a special
  election ordered by the governor shall be conducted at the main
  early voting polling place for [at least] 12 hours on each of the
  last two days of the early voting period. Unless ordered by a court,
  voting time shall be not more than 12 hours in one day [Voting shall
  be conducted in accordance with this subsection in those elections
  in a county with a population under 100,000 on receipt by the early
  voting clerk of a written request for the extended hours submitted
  by at least 15 registered voters of the county. The request must be
  submitted in time to enable compliance with Section 85.067].
         SECTION 4.  Section 85.006(b) and (d), Election Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  In an election in which a county clerk or city secretary
  is the early voting clerk under Section 83.002 or 83.005, the hours
  for voting shall be as follows:
               (1)  on any weekday of the first week of the early
  voting period, from 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m.;
               (2)  on a Saturday during the early voting period, from
  7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m.;
               (3)  on a Sunday during the early voting period, from
  1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.; and
               (4)  on any weekday of the last week of the early voting
  period, from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. [only the early voting clerk
  may order voting on a Saturday or Sunday. The clerk must do so by
  written order.]
         (d)  The authority authorized to order early voting on a
  Saturday or Sunday under Subsection (a) [or (b)] shall order the
  voting under the applicable subsection on receipt of a written
  request submitted by at least 15 registered voters of the territory
  covered by the election. The request must be submitted in time to
  enable compliance with Section 85.007. The authority is not
  required to order the voting on a particular date specified by the
  request but shall order the voting on at least one Saturday if a
  Saturday is requested and on at least one Sunday if a Sunday is
  requested.
         SECTION 5.  Section 85.064(d), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (d)  The authority authorized under Section 85.006 to order
  early voting on a Saturday or Sunday may also order, in the manner
  prescribed by that section, early voting to be conducted on a
  Saturday or Sunday at any one or more of the temporary branch
  polling places. [In addition, the early voting clerk of a county
  covered by Section 85.006(e) shall order such voting in accordance
  with that subsection at each temporary branch polling place
  established under Section 85.062(d).]
         SECTION 6.  Sections 85.006(c) and (e), Election Code, are
  repealed.
         SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.