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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to eligibility for early voting by mail. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 82.001(b), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(b) If a voter's early voting ballot application is |
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submitted on or after the first day of the period for early voting |
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by personal appearance, the voter is ineligible for early voting by |
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mail unless: |
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(1) the voter is absent from the county when the |
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application is submitted and satisfies the requirements |
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prescribed by Subsection (a); or. |
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(2) the nature of the voter's occupation requires |
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frequent and unexpected travel, and the voter will need to be |
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absent from their county of residence on election day and |
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during the period for early voting by personal appearance to |
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prevent causing a disruption in the operations of the voter's |
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employer. |
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SECTION 2. Section 84.002(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) An early voting ballot application must include: |
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(1) the applicant's name and the address at which the |
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applicant is registered to vote; |
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(1-a) the following information: |
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(A) the number of the applicant's driver's |
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license, election identification certificate, or personal |
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identification card issued by the Department of Public |
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Safety; |
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(B) if the applicant has not been issued a number |
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described by Paragraph (A), the last four digits of the |
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applicant's social security number; or |
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(C) a statement by the applicant that the |
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applicant has not been issued a number described by Paragraph |
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(A) or (B); |
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(2) for an application for a ballot to be voted by mail on |
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the ground of absence from the county of residence, the address |
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outside the applicant's county of residence to which the ballot is |
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to be mailed unless the applicant will be absent from their county |
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of residence as prescribed by Section 82.001(b)(2); |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |