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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the administration of and procedures relating to early |
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voting by personal appearance. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 19.004(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) Except as provided by Subsection (d), state funds |
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disbursed under this chapter may be used only to: |
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(1) defray expenses of the registrar's office in |
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connection with voter registration, including additional expenses |
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related to: |
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(A) [(1)] implementation of the National Voter |
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Registration Act of 1993 (52 U.S.C. Section 20501 et seq.) [(42 |
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U.S.C. Section 1973gg et seq.)]; |
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(B) [(2)] complying with [the] weekly updating |
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requirements [prescribed by Section 18.063]; and |
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(C) [(3)] the employment of temporary voter |
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registration personnel for not more than 39 weeks in a state fiscal |
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year; and |
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(2) defray the cost to the registrar's county of |
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keeping the polling places in the county open during the early |
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voting period as required under Sections 85.005(c), 85.006(e), and |
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85.064(d). |
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SECTION 2. Section 85.005(c), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) Voting [In a county with a population of 55,000 or more, |
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the voting] in a primary election or the general election for state |
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and county officers shall be conducted at the main early voting |
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polling place for at least 12 hours on each weekday of the last week |
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of the early voting period, and the voting in a special election |
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ordered by the governor shall be conducted at the main early voting |
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polling place for at least 12 hours on each of the last two days of |
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the early voting period. Voting under this subsection may not be |
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conducted earlier than 6 a.m. or later than 10 p.m. [Voting shall |
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be conducted in accordance with this subsection in those elections |
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in a county with a population under 55,000 on receipt by the early |
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voting clerk of a written request for the extended hours submitted |
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by at least 15 registered voters of the county. The request must be |
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submitted in time to enable compliance with Section 85.067.] |
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SECTION 3. Section 85.006(e), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(e) In a primary election or the general election for state |
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and county officers [in a county with a population of 55,000 or |
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more], the early voting clerk shall order voting by personal |
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appearance at the main early voting polling place to be conducted on |
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the last Saturday of the early voting period for at least 12 hours, |
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except that voting may not be conducted earlier than 6 a.m. or later |
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than 10 p.m., and on the last Sunday of the early voting period for |
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at least six hours, except that voting may not be conducted earlier |
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than 9 a.m. or later than 10 p.m. [The early voting clerk shall |
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order voting to be conducted at those times in those elections in a |
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county with a population under 55,000 on receipt of a written |
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request for those hours submitted by at least 15 registered voters |
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of the county. The request must be submitted in time to enable |
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compliance with Section 85.007.] This subsection supersedes any |
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provision of this subchapter to the extent of any conflict. |
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SECTION 4. The heading to Section 85.064, Election Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 85.064. DAYS AND HOURS FOR VOTING: TEMPORARY BRANCH |
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[IN POPULOUS COUNTY]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 85.064(d), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) The authority authorized under Section 85.006 to order |
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early voting on a Saturday or Sunday may also order, in the manner |
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prescribed by that section, early voting to be conducted on a |
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Saturday or Sunday at any one or more of the temporary branch |
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polling places. In addition, the early voting clerk [of a county |
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covered by Section 85.006(e)] shall order such voting in accordance |
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with Section 85.006(e) [that subsection] at each temporary branch |
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polling place established under Section 85.062(d). |
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SECTION 6. Section 85.068(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The early voting clerk shall post notice for each |
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election stating any dates and the hours that voting on Saturday or |
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Sunday will be conducted under Section 85.064(d) [or 85.065(b)], if |
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the early voting clerk is a county clerk or city secretary under |
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Section 83.002 or 83.005. |
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SECTION 7. The following provisions of the Election Code |
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are repealed: |
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(1) Section 85.064(a); and |
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(2) Section 85.065. |
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SECTION 8. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to |
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an election for which early voting begins on or after the effective |
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date of this Act. |
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SECTION 9. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |