By: Middleton, et al.  S.B. No. 1993
         (In the Senate - Filed March 8, 2023; March 21, 2023, read
  first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs;
  April 6, 2023, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
  Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 8, Nays 2; April 6, 2023,
  sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
  COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1993 By:  Hughes
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to the authority of the secretary of state to order a new
  election in certain counties.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Title 14, Election Code, is amended by adding
  Subtitle E to read as follows:
  SUBTITLE E. ORDER FOR NEW ELECTION BY SECRETARY OF STATE
  CHAPTER 249. SHORTAGE OF BALLOTS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES
         Sec. 249.001.  STANDARD FOR NEW ELECTION. Notwithstanding
  any other law, in a county with a population of 2.7 million or more,
  the secretary of state shall order a new election if the secretary
  has good cause to believe that at least two percent of the total
  number of polling places in the county:
               (1)  ran out of usable ballots during voting hours; and
               (2)  did not receive supplemental ballots under Section
  51.008 for one or more hours after making a request for supplemental
  ballots to the authority responsible for distributing election
  supplies.
         Sec. 249.002.  PROCEDURES FOR NEW ELECTION. In establishing
  the procedures for a new election ordered under this chapter, the
  secretary of state shall have the same authority granted to a
  district court under Section 231.007.
         Sec. 249.003.  EXPENSES OF NEW ELECTION. The expenses of a
  new election ordered by the secretary of state under this chapter
  are paid from the same fund and by the same authority that paid the
  expenses of the previous election.
         SECTION 2.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
  an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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