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Amend CSSB 1599 (senate committee report) by adding the following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and renumbering the SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ___. Section 87.0222, Election Code, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 87.0222. TIME OF DELIVERY: BALLOTS VOTED BY MAIL. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), not later than the ninth day before election day [Notwithstanding Section 87.024, in an election conducted by an authority of a county with a population of 100,000 or more, or conducted jointly with such a county or conducted with such a county through a contract for election services], the jacket envelopes containing [the] early voting ballots voted by mail shall [may] be delivered to the board [between the end of the ninth day before the last day of the period for early voting by personal appearance and the closing of the polls on election day, or as soon after closing as practicable, at the time or times specified by the presiding judge of the board].
(a-1) Any jacket envelopes of early voting ballots voted by mail returned after delivery of the ballots under Subsection (a) may be delivered to the presiding judge of the early voting ballot board between the end of the ninth day before election day and the closing of the polls on election day, or as soon after closing as practicable, at the time or times specified by the presiding judge.
(b) The early voting clerk shall post notice of each delivery of balloting materials under this section that is to be made before the time for opening the polls on election day. The notice shall be posted at the main early voting polling place continuously for at least 24 hours immediately preceding the delivery.
(c) At least 24 hours before each delivery made before the time for opening the polls on election day, the early voting clerk shall notify the county chair of each political party having a nominee on the ballot of the time the delivery is to be made.
SECTION ___. Sections 87.0241(a) and (c), Election Code, are amended to read as follows:
(a) The early voting ballot board shall make its determination [may determine] whether to accept early voting ballots voted by mail in accordance with Section 87.041 [at any time] after the ballots are delivered to the board.
(c) The secretary of state shall prescribe any procedures necessary for implementing this section [in regard to elections described by Subsection (b)(2)].