BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 3697
89R13832 MPF-D	By: Cortez; Plesa (Zaffirini)
	State Affairs
	5/20/2025
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Voters with visual impairments have reported difficulty reading both the instructions and the mail-in ballot applications for early voting. Small font sizes and inconsistent paper colors make these materials hard to read, increasing the risk of application errors.

H.B. 3697 would establish uniform formatting requirements for mail-in ballot materials and applications used in early voting. 

H.B. 3697 amends current law relating to the text on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail and other balloting materials.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 84.011(b), Election Code, to require that the officially prescribed application form for an early voting ballot to be voted by mail be at least eight inches by nine inches in size, be printed in at least 12-point type, rather than six-point type, and printed in black text on a white background, and to make nonsubstantive changes.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 86.002, Election Code, by adding Subsection (j) to require that the balloting materials, including the instructions under Subsection (d) (relating to requiring the secretary of state to prescribe instructions to be printed on the balloting materials), be printed in at least 12-point type and in black text on a white background.

SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2025.