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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the reading and marking of a ballot by a person |
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occupying a voting station or by the person's child. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 31, Election Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 31.131 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 31.131. EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS ON CHILD PARTICIPATION |
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IN VOTING. (a) The secretary of state shall develop voter |
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education materials for parents on the procedures under Section |
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64.002(b) that allow a child under 14 years of age to read and mark |
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the ballot while accompanying the child's parent to a voting |
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station. The secretary shall make the voter education materials |
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available on the secretary's Internet website. |
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(b) The county officer responsible for administering |
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elections in a county to which Section 31.125 applies shall make the |
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voter education materials developed by the secretary of state under |
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Subsection (a) available on the county's Internet website. |
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SECTION 2. Section 64.002(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) A child under 18 years of age may accompany the child's |
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parent to a voting station, and if the child is under 14 years of |
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age, may read or mark the ballot at the direction of the parent. |
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Reading or marking a ballot under this subsection does not |
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constitute assisting a voter for purposes of Subchapter B. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |