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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the election for which an application for a ballot to be |
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voted by mail is requested. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 84.004(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) A person commits an offense if[: |
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[(1)] the person signs an application for a ballot to |
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be voted by mail as a witness for more than one applicant in the same |
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election[; or |
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[(2) the person signs an application for annual |
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ballots by mail as a witness for more than one applicant in the same |
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calendar year]. |
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SECTION 2. Section 84.007(c), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) An [Except as provided by Section 86.0015(b), an] |
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application may be submitted at any time in the year of the election |
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for which a ballot is requested, but not later than the close of |
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regular business in the early voting clerk's office or 12 noon, |
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whichever is later, on the 11th day before election day unless that |
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day is a Saturday, Sunday, or legal state or national holiday, in |
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which case the last day is the first preceding regular business day. |
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SECTION 3. Section 84.011(a), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(a) The officially prescribed application form for an early |
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voting ballot must include: |
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(1) immediately preceding the signature space the |
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statement: "I certify that the information given in this |
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application is true, and I understand that giving false information |
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in this application is a crime."; |
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(2) a statement informing the applicant of the |
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offenses prescribed by Sections 84.003 and 84.004; |
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(3) spaces for entering an applicant's voter |
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registration number and county election precinct of registration, |
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with a statement informing the applicant that failure to furnish |
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that information does not invalidate the application; |
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(3-a) a space for entering the information required |
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under Section 84.002(a)(1-a); and |
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(4) on an application for a ballot to be voted by mail: |
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(A) a space for an applicant applying on the |
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ground of absence from the county of residence to indicate the date |
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on or after which the applicant can receive mail at the address |
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outside the county; |
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(B) a space for indicating the fact that an |
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applicant whose application is signed by a witness cannot make the |
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applicant's mark and a space for indicating the relationship or |
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lack of relationship of the witness to the applicant; |
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(C) a space for entering an applicant's telephone |
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number, with: |
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(i) a statement informing the applicant |
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that failure to furnish that information does not invalidate the |
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application; and |
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(ii) a statement prescribed by the |
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secretary of state explaining the benefits of furnishing that |
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information, including how that information assists the early |
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voting clerk; |
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(D) a space or box for an applicant applying on |
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the ground of age or disability to indicate that the address to |
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which the ballot is to be mailed is the address of a facility or |
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relative described by Section 84.002(a)(3), if applicable; |
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(E) a space or box for an applicant applying on |
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the ground of confinement in jail or involuntary civil commitment |
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to indicate that the address to which the ballot is to be mailed is |
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the address of a relative described by Section 84.002(a)(4) or (7), |
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if applicable; |
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(F) [a space for an applicant applying on the |
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ground of age or disability to indicate if the application is an |
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application under Section 86.0015; |
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[(G)] spaces for entering the signature, printed |
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name, and residence address of any person assisting the applicant; |
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(G) [(H)] a statement informing the applicant of |
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the condition prescribed by Section 81.005; and |
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(H) [(I)] a statement informing the applicant of |
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the requirement prescribed by Section 86.003(c). |
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SECTION 4. Section 84.038, Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 84.038. CANCELLATION EFFECTIVE FOR SINGLE ELECTION. |
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The cancellation of an application for a ballot to be voted by mail |
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under Section 84.032(c), (d), or (e) is effective for a single |
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ballot only and does not cancel the application with respect to a |
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subsequent runoff election[, including a subsequent election to |
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which the same application applies under Section 84.001(e) or |
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86.0015(b)]. |
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SECTION 5. Section 86.0015, Election Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 6. The change in law made by this Act in amending |
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Section 84.004(a), Election Code, applies only to an offense |
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committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense |
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committed before the effective date of this Act is governed by the |
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law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former |
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law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this |
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section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this |
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Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 7. This Act applies only to an application for a |
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ballot voted by mail submitted on or after January 1, 2026. |
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SECTION 8. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026. |