By: Paul, Morales of Maverick, Morales Shaw H.B. No. 1632
        (Senate Sponsor - Middleton)
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 3, 2023;
  May 5, 2023, read first time and referred to Committee on State
  Affairs; May 15, 2023, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 8, Nays 0; May 15, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
 
  COMMITTEE VOTE
 
 
         YeaNayAbsentPNV
         HughesX
         PaxtonX
         BettencourtX
         BirdwellX
         LaMantiaX
         MenéndezX
         MiddletonX
         ParkerX
         PerryX
         SchwertnerX
         ZaffiriniX
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to standardized training for election officers.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 32.111(a), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (a)  The secretary of state shall:
               (1)  adopt standards of training in election law and
  procedure for presiding or alternate election judges;
               (2)  develop materials for a standardized curriculum
  for that training, including a published handbook, made available
  on the secretary of state's Internet website, free of charge; and
               (3)  distribute the materials as necessary to the
  governing bodies of political subdivisions that hold elections and
  to each county executive committee of a political party that holds a
  primary election.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter F, Chapter 32, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 32.1111 to read as follows:
         Sec. 32.1111.  ONLINE TRAINING. (a) The secretary of state
  shall:
               (1)  make available a standardized training program
  developed under Section 32.111:
                     (A)  entirely via the Internet; and
                     (B)  at any time, without a requirement for prior
  registration;
               (2)  require the passage of an examination at the end of
  the training program; and
               (3)  provide an individual who completes the training
  with a certificate of completion.
         (b)  A certificate of completion provided under Subsection
  (a)(3) shall expire no later than one year following the date it was
  awarded.
         (c)  Completion of the training program under this section is
  not a prerequisite to eligibility for service in an election for:
               (1)  county election officials;
               (2)  presiding or alternate election judges;
               (3)  election clerks;
               (4)  members of the early voting ballot board;
               (5)  members of the signature verification committee;
  or
               (6)  central counting station officers.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter A, Chapter 87, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 87.0031 to read as follows:
         Sec. 87.0031.  TRAINING. The secretary of state shall
  provide a standardized training program and materials for members
  of an early voting ballot board in the same manner it provides such
  a program under Subchapter F, Chapter 32.
         SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 87, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 87.0272 to read as follows:
         Sec. 87.0272.  TRAINING. The secretary of state shall
  provide a standardized training program and materials for members
  of a signature verification committee in the same manner it
  provides such a program under Subchapter F, Chapter 32.
         SECTION 5.  Subchapter A, Chapter 127, Election Code, is
  amended by adding Section 127.010 to read as follows:
         Sec. 127.010.  TRAINING. The secretary of state shall
  provide a standardized training program and materials for members
  of a counting station in the same manner it provides such a program
  under Subchapter F, Chapter 32.
         SECTION 6.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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