81R7162 ATP-D
By: Farias H.B. No. 2409
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the conduct of early voting by personal appearance on
Saturday.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 85.001(b), Election Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(b) For a special runoff election for the office of state
senator or state representative or for a runoff primary election,
the period begins on the 11th [10th] day before election day.
SECTION 2. Sections 85.006(a), (b), and (d), Election Code,
are amended to read as follows:
(a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), the authority
ordering an election shall [may] order early voting by personal
appearance at the main early voting polling place to be conducted on
one or more Saturdays [or Sundays] during the early voting period
and may order early voting by personal appearance at the main early
voting polling place to be conducted on one or more Sundays during
the early voting period.
(b) In an election in which a county clerk or city secretary
is the early voting clerk under Section 83.002 or 83.005, only the
early voting clerk may order voting under Subsection (a) [on a
Saturday or Sunday]. An order by the [The] clerk must be [do so by]
written [order].
(d) The authority authorized to order early voting on a
[Saturday or] Sunday under this section [Subsection (a) or (b)]
shall order the voting on at least one Sunday [under the applicable
subsection] on receipt of a written request that voting be
conducted on a Sunday submitted by at least 15 registered voters of
the territory covered by the election if the[. The] request is
[must be] submitted in time to enable compliance with Section
85.007. The authority is not required to order the voting on a
particular date specified by the request but shall order the voting
on at least one [Saturday if a Saturday is requested and on at least
one] Sunday [if a Sunday is requested].
SECTION 3. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an election ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. An
election ordered before the effective date of this Act is governed
by the law in effect when the election was ordered, and the former
law continues in effect for that purpose.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2009.