| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to a study on the feasibility of integrating early voting |
|
|
by personal appearance and election day voting, including the |
|
|
manner in which election returns are processed and other related |
|
|
changes. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 31, Election Code, is |
|
|
amended by adding Section 31.023 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 31.023. STUDY ON FEASIBILITY OF EARLY VOTING AND |
|
|
ELECTION DAY VOTING INTEGRATION. (a) The secretary of state shall |
|
|
conduct a study examining the feasibility and necessary practices |
|
|
and procedures to integrate early voting by personal appearance and |
|
|
election day voting, including by adjusting the manner in which |
|
|
election returns are processed and making other related changes. |
|
|
(b) In conducting the study, the secretary of state shall |
|
|
determine the costs, logistics, and methods required for a county |
|
|
holding an election to: |
|
|
(1) conduct early voting beginning on the 12th day |
|
|
before election day and continuing through the day before election |
|
|
day, including Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays; |
|
|
(2) designate as locations for polling places on |
|
|
election day each location designated as a polling place during the |
|
|
early voting period; |
|
|
(3) provide for the security of voting systems and |
|
|
equipment during the early voting period and between the early |
|
|
voting period and election day; and |
|
|
(4) process and tabulate early voting ballots voted by |
|
|
personal appearance to be counted using automatic tabulating |
|
|
equipment in the same manner as ballots voted on election day at the |
|
|
same polling place. |
|
|
(c) Not later than September 1, 2026, the secretary of state |
|
|
shall submit to the governor, the lieutenant governor, the speaker |
|
|
of the house of representatives, and each standing committee of the |
|
|
legislature with jurisdiction over elections a report on the |
|
|
findings of the study, including any statutory changes necessary to |
|
|
the Election Code for elections in this state to be conducted in the |
|
|
manner described by Subsection (b). |
|
|
(d) This section expires January 1, 2027. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |